Away from the jury’s ears, now-convicted murderer Frattolin said he wanted to testify

Before Luciano Frattolin was convicted of murdering his nine-year-old daughter Melina, he did not testify on his own behalf in the trial. However, with the jury having stepped out of the courtroom, Frattolin expressed his desire to testify. On August 10, Frattolin was found guilty of second-degree murder and concealing a human corpse in the death of his daughter.

A New York jury convicted Frattolin of killing Melina on the last day of their week-long trip to the United States on July 19, 2025. The girl's body was discovered the following day near Ticonderoga, New York, about 400 kilometers north of New York City. The autopsy revealed that Melina died from asphyxia due to drowning. The question of whether Frattolin would testify was left unresolved until the last day of the trial.

Judge Tatiana Coffinger had spoken with Frattolin a few days earlier, informing him that he had the right to remain silent and was not obligated to testify during the trial. Frattolin interrupted the judge, stating that he trusted people easily and had placed his trust in the police. The judge reminded him of his right to silence and inquired if he had been given sufficient time to decide his course of action.

Frattolin replied that he needed more time to consider his decision. The judge gave him the weekend to decide, telling his lawyers that his possible testimony would be a "game-day decision." On the morning of the verdict, Coffinger checked with Frattolin and found out that he still intended to take the stand, but he had been advised not to.

Without Frattolin's testimony, the prosecution rested their case after calling a single witness. The jury took only about an hour to return a guilty verdict. During the trial, the jury heard Frattolin's account of the events through police recordings. According to these recordings, Frattolin claimed that his daughter was kidnapped by two men who fled in a white van.

He also suggested that Melina's mother, who lives in Montreal, might have orchestrated the kidnapping. However, police quickly dismissed this theory as "far-fetched." In the recordings, Frattolin contradicted himself and changed his story when presented with new evidence that cast doubt on his earlier claims. As the jury announced the verdict on Monday, Frattolin stood silently between his two lawyers, shaking his head slightly.

The prosecution, who bore the burden of proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt, presented over two dozen witnesses over nearly three weeks. Location data from Frattolin's phone and car played a crucial role in finding the body and establishing Frattolin's guilt, according to Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey. In an interview with reporters after the trial, Langey said they had prepared to cross-examine Frattolin, although he did not express enthusiasm for the process.

Frattolin's lawyers had also approached the judge on two occasions to have the case dismissed. Brian Pilatzke, one of the defense lawyers, argued that the prosecution had failed to prove Frattolin's guilt and that there was no evidence indicating his intention to kill Melina and conceal her body. Carrie Daly, first assistant district attorney for Essex County, acknowledged that the evidence was circumstantial but contended that it pointed strongly towards Frattolin as the perpetrator.

She also argued that notes found in Frattolin's car, some of which referred to "taking Melina to end" and "ending her suffering," demonstrated his intent to kill her. The judge ultimately rejected the motions to dismiss. On August 6, the judge requested that only the lawyers remain in the room so she could decide whether to show the jury the last video Melina sent to her mother.

The defense objected to the video's inclusion, arguing that it only served to inflame the jury's sympathy for Melina, who had passed away. Pilatzke contended that the video did not prove a homicide, as it merely showed the young girl playing and smiling. The prosecution was subsequently permitted to present the video without audio. In the video, Melina is seen playing with her hair and smiling.