CALGARY — A Montreal father has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for murdering his nine-year-old daughter during a trip to New York, after initially telling police she had been kidnapped by two men in a white van.Luciano Frattolin, 46, was sentenced Wednesday, in Essex County Court in New York for the July 2025 killing of his daughter, Melina Galanis Frattolin.According to the Canadian Press, the sentence follows his conviction in August on charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. He received an additional one-to-three-year sentence for concealing his daughter's body.Melina had been travelling with her father through the northeastern United States when she was reported missing on July 19, 2025, shortly before the pair were scheduled to return to Canada.Frattolin contacted authorities near Lake George, New York, claiming two men driving a white van had abducted his daughter from a rest stop.The report prompted an extensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. However, investigators subsequently identified inconsistencies in Frattolin's account, and authorities determined there was no evidence supporting the alleged abduction..On July 20, Melina's body was discovered in a marshy area near Ticonderoga, approximately 50 kilometres north of Lake George. Her remains were partially concealed beneath a fallen tree, with a large rock placed on her chest. Investigators determined that the child had drowned.Frattolin was subsequently arrested and charged in connection with his daughter's death.During his trial, prosecutors presented cellphone records, vehicle-location data and surveillance footage to reconstruct Frattolin's movements around the time of Melina's disappearance.Investigators also discovered handwritten notes inside his rental vehicle, along with a three-page document resembling a press release that appeared to implicate Melina's mother, Kali Galanis, in the child's death. Prosecutors argued that the materials supported their position that Frattolin had planned the killing and attempted to misdirect investigators.The defence challenged aspects of the investigation, maintaining that authorities had failed to adequately examine Frattolin's original kidnapping allegations. .Following approximately three weeks of testimony, jurors deliberated for about an hour before finding Frattolin guilty of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse on August 10.Family members became emotional as the verdict was delivered, while Frattolin was taken into custody.According to the Times Union, prosecutors also pointed to Frattolin's handwritten notes as evidence that the killing had been planned. Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey said the notes helped establish intent, despite the absence of eyewitness testimony or DNA evidence directly linking Frattolin to the scene.The case also involved a custody dispute between Frattolin and Melina's mother, who had held full custody of their daughter since 2019. Prosecutors alleged that Frattolin's actions were motivated by resentment toward his former wife, although the defence disputed the prosecution's interpretation of the evidence.Judge Tatiana Coffinger criticized Frattolin's actions during Wednesday's sentencing. Frattolin has continued to maintain his innocence despite the jury's verdict.The sentence means Frattolin must serve at least 25 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole on the murder conviction.
