ELIZABETHTOWN — Lucian Frattolin, a Canadian coffee entrepreneur accused of drowning his 9-year-old daughter in Lake George last summer, chillingly told an investigator that it “would’ve been easier” to murder the child overseas, a jury heard this week. Frattolin, 46, made the comment to New York State Police investigator Daniel Mauro the morning after he reported his daughter, Melina, had been kidnapped on July 19, 2025.
As Frattolin’s account of his daughter’s abduction began to falter during questioning, Mauro asked if he had any motive to kill Melina. Frattolin responded that committing the act in the U.S. would not have been his preference, stating it would have been “a lot easier” in his native Ethiopia or Italy, countries where he held dual citizenship, Mauro testified.
During the interrogation, Frattolin also directed blame toward his ex-wife and Melina’s mother, Kali Galanis, whom he accused of abusing their daughter. In an audio recording of the interview played in court, Frattolin stated, “The whole thing is so complicated. Kali was not supposed to be a mother.” He also wrote on a questionnaire that “Kali hit Melina,” according to Mauro’s testimony.
Frattolin, who founded the Montreal-based coffee company Gabella Coffee, is now reportedly bankrupt. He told investigators he met Galanis 10 years prior with the intention of having a child, but their relationship soured when Galanis allegedly began abusing Melina. Frattolin claimed he wanted to report the abuse to Canadian police so Galanis, whom he described as battling schizophrenia, would lose custody, but he did not want sole custody of Melina himself.
This finger-pointing follows previous testimony where Frattolin had mused to investigators about whether his ex-wife was behind Melina’s disappearance. On a recording, he can be heard saying, “If she is behind this, she does this to make me look like a bad person.”
Prosecutors contend that Frattolin fabricated a kidnapping report after allegedly drowning Melina in a trip to Lake George. They claim he believed his daughter suffered from mental illness and had intended to end her life since early 2025.
Last week, Warren County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Sean Smith testified about responding to the scene. Jurors were shown footage of Frattolin asking police peculiar questions, such as whether nearby interstates had cameras and if an AMBER Alert would reach Canada.
Frattolin’s attorney, Brian Pilatzke, has maintained his client’s claim of kidnapping and has questioned the prosecution's case, calling the evidence weak.
State police noted inconsistencies in Frattolin's story last year after he reported his daughter abducted before he was to return her to her mother in Montreal. Melina’s body was discovered hidden under a log in a pond near Short Swing Trail in Ticonderoga. Authorities have stated the cause of death was asphyxiation due to drowning.
Frattolin faces charges of murder in the second degree and concealment of a human corpse. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and could face up to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. Investigator Mauro was expected to continue his testimony Monday afternoon.