Overview
- A jury in Essex County found Luciano Frattolin guilty of second‑degree murder and concealment of a human corpse on Monday, Aug. 10.
- Investigators located nine‑year‑old Melina’s body in a Ticonderoga pond on July 20, 2025 and an autopsy ruled drowning as the cause of death.
- Prosecutors built their case with cellphone and vehicle location data, surveillance video, forensic scene evidence and notes found in Frattolin’s rental car to challenge his kidnapping account.
- Frattolin pleaded not guilty, has been held without bail since his July 2025 arrest, and did not testify during the multiweek trial.
- Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2026 and Frattolin faces a prison term that could include life as Melina’s family seeks closure after the yearlong case.