A trial revealed that Luciano Frattolin, a 45-year-old coffee CEO, was found with condoms and disturbing notes in his car, including one labeled “confession”. Frattolin claimed his daughter, Melina, was kidnapped by men in a white van before her body was discovered in a pond last July in Ticonderoga, New York.
Prosecutors alleged that Frattolin, the head of Canadian coffee company Gambella, disposed of Melina’s body in a swamp in the Adirondacks after inconsistencies arose in his story. Evidence showed that Melina and her father had traveled through Connecticut and New York before her planned return to Quebec to her mother.
During the trial, it was revealed that Frattolin had concealed multiple condoms in bags in the rental car he was driving. State police investigators testified that items belonging to Melina and Frattolin had traces of seminal fluid, indicating a disturbing connection.
Frattolin faces charges of second-degree murder and concealing a human corpse in relation to Melina’s death. A document titled “closure/confession” was found in the car Frattolin had rented, containing derogatory remarks about his ex-wife and disturbing statements about his daughter.
Prosecutors also presented a “father’s report” allegedly written by Frattolin, detailing plans and containing photos of his ex-wife and Melina. Authorities discovered user manuals for a Porsche among his belongings, and investigations revealed extensive location data on Frattolin’s smartphone.
Testimonies from Melina’s mother, Kali Galanis, indicated concerns about Frattolin’s intentions to take Melina to Ethiopia. Galanis mentioned troubling behavior exhibited by Frattolin, leading her to feel uneasy about the situation.
The trial is ongoing as more evidence is presented.
