A Montreal man accused within the dying of his nine-year-old daughter is making one other try and restrict what prosecutors can current at his upcoming trial in New York state.
Luciano Frattolin, 45, has submitted a movement asking the court docket to exclude sure proof, together with materials taken from his cellphone and statements he allegedly made to police. The applying follows earlier rulings during which a choose declined to dismiss the costs towards him or suppress gadgets collected from his Montreal residence.
Frattolin is dealing with counts of second-degree homicide and concealment of a human corpse in reference to the dying of his daughter Melina.
The investigation started the evening of July 19, 2025, when Frattolin reported to New York State Police that his daughter had been kidnapped as they had been returning to Montreal from a visit. Authorities issued an Amber Alert quickly after. Hours later, the search ended when the kid’s physique was found in a shallow pond close to Ticonderoga, N.Y., about 200 kilometres south of Montreal.
Police have mentioned the circumstances level to murder.
Early post-mortem outcomes decided Melina died from drowning, with asphyxia recognized as the reason for dying.
Within the newest submitting, Frattolin’s defence lawyer argues that proof obtained by way of a search of his telephone, in addition to feedback he allegedly made throughout a late-night trip with two state troopers whereas officers had been looking for the woman, shouldn’t be admitted at trial.
A choose is ready to listen to arguments on the movement Wednesday on the Essex County courthouse. The trial is at the moment scheduled to start in April.
Melina and her father entered the US on July 11 for a trip to New York and Connecticut and had been due again in Montreal on July 20.
Frattolin and Melina’s mom have been estranged since 2019. Melina lived full time along with her mom, who had not expressed considerations about letting her daughter spend time along with her father, police mentioned.
On the day she died, Melina spoke along with her mom over the telephone at about 6:30 p.m. and did not seem like beneath duress, police mentioned. About three-and-a-half hours later, Frattolin known as 911 and reported his nine-year-old daughter lacking and presumably kidnapped. However because the case progressed, officers recognized alleged inconsistencies within the father’s account of occasions and the timeline of Melina’s disappearance.
—With information from The Canadian Press