Accused killer dad Luciano Frattolin wrote a "deranged screed" before his arrest in the murder of his 9-year-old daughter, Melina, jurors were told Monday. The 46-year-old allegedly portrayed himself as a philanthropic businessman and a doting father in the document, recovered from a rental car used to transport his daughter's body.
Prosecutors presented the statement, written in what was described as poor grammar and alternating between first and third person, during proceedings in Elizabethtown, N.Y. The document, found in a white Toyota Prius, was read aloud in court by New York State Police Investigator Brendan Frost. Frattolin is accused of killing Melina during a court-approved vacation in upstate New York in July 2025, then concocting a false kidnapping story that led to a large-scale manhunt.
In the self-styled "press release," Frattolin allegedly fantasized about his ex-girlfriend being imprisoned and himself remarrying and retiring from a "multibillion-dollar empire" to raise his daughter. He described himself as a "brave father" and claimed he would donate social media income to charity. The statement also falsely announced the arrest and life sentencing of Melina's mother, Kali Galanis, for allegedly terrorizing him.
The document detailed a life where Frattolin had full custody of Melina, discussed obtaining an Italian passport for her, arranging playdates, and leaving Canada together. It also stated the girl wished to be called "Layla."
Frattolin's written account also constructed an elaborate self-image as an international business titan who had shelved a $15 billion project and developed ventures across three continents. He also presented himself as a humanitarian, planning to donate profits from his coffee business to United Nations mental-health programs and to spend his retirement assisting those with mental illness. The screed included purported quotes from a lawyer praising Frattolin's parenting and accusing Galanis of legal manipulation.
Frattolin, a Canadian national, described his perceived flaws as being "naive, generous, and half black" and concluded the statement with the moral: "Never, ever give up, and don't try to outsmart the law."