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Luciano Frattolin case update: Canadian man gets 25 years to life for killing 9-year-old daughter in upstate NY
A judge sentenced Canadian resident Luciano Frattolin to 25 years to life for the 2025 killing of his 9-year-old daughter, Melina, in upstate New York.
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Luciano Frattolin was sentenced to 25 years to life for the fatal killing of his 9-year-old daughter, Melina Frattolin, in July 2025 in upstate New York. The Canadian resident was handed this sentence during a hearing on Wednesday and faces a potential life imprisonment term, as confirmed by authorities.
“You live in a world of self made delusion of wealth and image when the greatest accomplishment in your life could’ve been as a great father,” Judge Tatiana Coffinger said on Wednesday, as per NY POST.
“I hope at some point in your life you will realize what you have done,” the jurist added.
What to know about Melina Frattolin's killing
Melina Frattolin's body was found beneath a rock in a Ticonderoga pond on July 20, 2025, within 24 hours of an AMBER Alert being issued for her abduction. Officials determined that the 9-year-old died from asphyxiation resulting from drowning.
Law enforcement officials concluded that Melina was killed between 7:35 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. on July 19, several hours after surveillance footage captured her and her father dining at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs. The two had been vacationing in the region at the time.
Luciano, who initially filed a missing person report with law enforcement regarding Melina, was placed into custody following the discovery of discrepancies in his statement. During his July 2025 arraignment, he entered a plea of not guilty to all charges brought against him.
Luciano Frattolin claims innocence
However, his legal representatives contended that Melina was kidnapped and law enforcement officials failed to give appropriate consideration to the father's account owing to communication difficulties stemming from linguistic differences.
They further claimed that investigative personnel did not employ automated license plate recognition technology to locate the white vehicle that had been initially documented in connection with Melina's purported abduction, and that genetic material belonging to Luciano was absent from all garments worn by Melina.
Luciano Frattolin's sick revenge plot against his ex-wife
Prosecutors contended at trial that Frattolin's actions were driven by his animosity toward Kali Galanis, Melina's mother, who obtained full custody of the child following her separation from Frattolin in 2019.
A prosecutor confirmed on Wednesday that Frattolin received a sentence of 25 years to life for the murder conviction and an additional 1 to 3 years for the concealment conviction, with both sentences to be served consecutively. Furthermore, Frattolin is required to pay a $5,000 fine, and a protective order has been established for Melina's mother.
