Luciano Frattolin was found guilty of murdering his 9-year-old daughter, Melina Frattolin, and concealing her body after prosecutors argued he drowned her during a 2025 trip to upstate New York.
An Essex County jury convicted Frattolin, 46, of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in Melina's death on Monday, Aug. 10, according to reports from CBS 6 Albany and People. The verdict came more than a year after the Canadian girl was found dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, New York.
Melina's family members held onto each other and sobbed as the guilty verdicts were read, according to Canadian Press.
Frattolin had reported Melina missing the night of July 19, 2025, telling authorities she disappeared after he stopped near Lake George.
An Amber Alert was issued the next morning, but investigators said they found inconsistencies in his account and no evidence that an abduction had occurred.
How did Melina Frattolin die?
Melina's body was found July 20 in a wooded area of Ticonderoga, about 40 miles from where Frattolin said she had disappeared, CBS News reported.
An autopsy found that Melina died from asphyxia due to drowning, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to New York State Police.
Prosecutors presented cellphone and vehicle data that they said placed Frattolin near the area where Melina's body was found. They alleged Frattolin killed his daughter after she spoke with her mother July 19 and then concealed her body in the wooded area.
Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey called the digital evidence crucial to finding Melina, CBS reported.
What happened before Melina was killed?
Frattolin and Melina had traveled from Montreal to New York for a vacation. Melina lived full-time with her mother, who had custody of her, according to WAMC.
Surveillance video showed Frattolin and Melina in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m. July 19, according to police. About an hour later, Melina spoke with her mother and said she and her father were on their way back to Canada.
Prosecutors told jurors Melina's mother expected her home in Canada around 8:30 p.m. Frattolin instead called 911 around 10 p.m. and reported that his daughter had been abducted, according to CBS 6 Albany.
Prosecutors presented cellphone and vehicle data that they said showed Frattolin's movements and Melina's phone traveling toward the area where her body was found.
Frattolin did not testify at trial. His defense challenged the investigation and maintained that he was innocent.
USA TODAY reached out to the Essex County District Attorney's Office for comment on the verdict and Frattolin's upcoming sentencing.
When will Frattolin be sentenced?
Frattolin remains in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 14, People reported.
Langey said the conviction could provide some closure for Melina's family after the yearlong case.
"I think whenever a child is murdered, everyone's got a parent," Langey said, according to CBS 6 Albany. "They have children. They touch a lot of hearts."
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A father reported his daughter missing. Now he's been found guilty
