����vlog

HEY, THERE. TIME RIGHT NOW IS 1020. I’M ADRIAN PASTOR. WE’RE BRINGING YOU OUT LIVE TO A NEW YORK STATE POLICE PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THE ONGOING HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION INVOLVING A NINE YEAR OLD GIRL WHO WAS FOUND DEAD IN TICONDEROGA OVER THE WEEKEND. LET’S LISTEN IN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION OF PUBLIC PROTECTION. THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND OUR PARTNERS IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE HOMICIDE OF MELINA FRATTOLIN. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, AND THIS INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ON SATURDAY, JULY 19TH AT 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 PM, WARREN COUNTY 911 RECEIVED A CALL FROM A MAN REPORTING HIS NINE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MISSING WITH A POSSIBLE ABDUCTION IN THE AREA OF EXIT 22 OF I-87 NORTHWAY IN LAKE GEORGE. THE CHILD WAS IDENTIFIED AS MELINA FRATTOLIN, AGE NINE, AND THE CALLER AS HER FATHER. LUCIANO FRATTOLIN, AGE 45. THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE IN WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO THE AREA OF EXIT 22 OF THE NORTHWAY AND INITIATED INVESTIGATION AND ATTEMPT TO LOCATE MELINA. ON SUNDAY, JULY 20TH, A SEARCH DETAIL COMPRISED OF OFFICERS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES CONDUCTED AN ORGANIZED SEARCH IN THE TOWN OF TICONDEROGA, NEW YORK. IN AN AREA IN AN AREA MR. FRATTOLIN WAS SUSPECTED OF HAVING VISITED DURING THAT SEARCH DETAIL AT APPROXIMATELY 1050, MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE, FOREST RANGERS LOCATED MELINA, DECEASED IN THE SHALLOW PORTION OF A POND. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT ON JULY 11TH, 2025, MR. FRATTOLIN AND MELINA AND MELINA, BOTH RESIDENTS OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, LEGALLY ENTERED THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PURPOSE OF A VACATION. THEY WERE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO CANADA ON SUNDAY, JULY 20TH, AT WHICH TIME MELINA WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE CUSTODY OF HER MOTHER IN MONTREAL. THE MOTHER AND MR. FRATTOLIN HAVE BEEN ESTRANGED SINCE 2019. THE CHILD RESIDE FULL TIME WITH HER MOTHER, AND FRATTOLIN VISITED WITH THE CHILD WHEN IN CANADA. ON ABOUT 5:30 P.M. ON JULY 20TH. MELINA IS OBSERVED WITH HER FATHER ON VIDEO SURVEILLANCE IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, AT ABOUT 6:30 P.M., SHE SPOKE TO HER MOTHER ON THE PHONE AND TOLD HER SHE AND HER FATHER WERE EN ROUTE BACK TO CANADA. THE CHILD APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH AND DID NOT INDICATE SHE WAS UNDER ANY DURESS. THE INVESTIGATION HAS DETERMINED SOMETIME AFTER MELINA’S PHONE CALL WITH HER MOTHER AND BEFORE MR. FRATTOLIN 901 CALL, HE ALLEGEDLY MURDERED MELINA AND LEFT HER BODY IN A REMOTE AREA, WHERE SHE LATER DISCOVERED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. INITIAL REPORTS FROM MR. FRATTOLIN OF A SUSPICIOUS WHITE VAN IN THE AREA OF THE ALLEGED DISAPPEARANCE WAS PROVEN TO BE UNTRUE. THE SUSPECT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AND CONCEALMENT OF A HUMAN CORPSE. HE WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE ESSEX COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, WHERE HE WAS HELD PENDING ARRAIGNMENT. THE SUSPECT IS SCHEDULED TO BE AT TICONDEROGA TOWN COURT THIS MORNING FOR ARRAIGNMENT. MELINA’S CAUSE OF DEATH IS PENDING THE RESULTS OF AN AUTOPSY, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR LATER TODAY. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DIFFICULT CASE AND A HEARTBREAKING INVESTIGATION ON BEHALF OF THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. I WANT TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MELINA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WITH THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WARREN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, ESSEX COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE MONTREAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, THE TICONDEROGA POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FBI FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THIS INVESTIGATION. IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAS INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEATH OF MELINA FRATTOLIN, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTACT THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AT AREA CODE. (518) 783-3211. I WILL NOW ANSWER A LIMITED NUMBER OF QUESTIONS. I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS DUE TO THE ACTIVE NATURE OF THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION, I AM LIMITED WITH RESPECT TO HOW MUCH WE CAN RELEASE AT THIS TIME. THE MOTIVE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. WHAT LED YOU TO BELIEVE THAT? WHAT WAS THE FIRST SIGN THAT THERE WERE? INCONSISTENCIES IN THE STORY? YES, SIR. SO THE SUSPECT’S INITIAL ACCOUNT IS THAT HE HAD PULLED OVER IN THE AREA OF EXIT 22, IN LAKE GEORGE. PULLED OVER INTO A PARKING LOT TO URINATE. HE HIS INITIAL REPORT AS HE STEPS AWAY TO A WOODED, WOODED AREA, RETURNS TO THE VEHICLE, AND AT THAT POINT HIS CHILD WAS GONE FROM THE VEHICLE. HE REPORTS A SUSPICIOUS WHITE VAN FLEEING THE SCENE SOUTHBOUND. DURING A SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEW, HE THEN REPORTS TWO UNKNOWN MALES FORCED HER INTO A WHITE VAN. THAT LEAD WAS THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND DISPROVEN. CAUSE OF DEATH. YET THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS PENDING. THE RESULTS OF THE AUTOPSY, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY. GO AHEAD. WE HAVE NO INFORMATION THAT THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH WITH MENTAL HEALTH. CAN YOU SAY THAT HE WAS ESTRANGED FROM HIS WIFE? DO YOU KNOW IF HE WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL ALONE WITH HIS DAUGHTER? HE WAS. IN THE US OR CANADA. THAT HE HAS NO CRIMINAL HISTORY. HE HAS NO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HISTORY EITHER. HOW COOPERATIVE WAS LUCIANO IN THE DISCOVERY OF HER BODY? I CANNOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO THAT AT THIS POINT. HOW IT WORKS IS THE CANADIAN CITIZENS. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I DON’T WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PROSECUTION, BUT. BUT HE’LL BE CHARGED AND PROSECUTED IN NEW YORK STATE. WHAT LED YOU TO TICONDEROGA? I DON’T WANT TO DIVULGE TOO MUCH WITH RESPECT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TECHNOLOGY OR THE TOOLS WE USE. JUST TO SAY THAT WE FOCUS OUR SEARCH AREA, TICONDEROGA, BASED ON INCONSISTENCIES IN INITIAL ACCOUNT IN HIS INITIAL ACCOUNT, AS WELL AS SOME TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHERE DID THE CALL EMANATE FROM? THE SUSPECT? NO, NO. GEOGRAPHICALLY. WARREN COUNTY. OKAY. WAS IT IN LAKE GEORGE OR WAS IT? IT WAS THE AREA OF LAKE GEORGE. CORRECT. IN THE AREA OF EXIT 22. FORGIVE ME IF THIS WAS ALREADY COVERED. ONE OF THE. WHAT ARE THE CHARGES? MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AND CONCEALMENT OF A HUMAN CORPSE. IN TERMS OF THE AMBER ALERT, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN REPORTS OF SOME PEOPLE GETTING INTO SOME NOT. CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT THE PROCESS WAS? IN AMBER ALERTS AND WHAT TIME? I DON’T HAVE THE TIME FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN TELL YOU JUST ANY TIME AN AMBER ALERT IS ISSUED, THERE’S A BALANCE BETWEEN PROVIDING PROMPT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT INFORMATION IS ACCURATE AND RELIABLE. WE DON’T WANT TO NUMB THE PUBLIC WITH UNVETTED ALERTS. SO IN THIS CASE, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONFIRM SOME OF THE INITIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SUSPECT. DO WE HAVE A. IT WAS JUST A VACATION. IT WAS A PLANNED VACATION. THEY VISITED A COUPLE LOCATIONS IN CONNECTICUT AS WELL AS NEW YORK. THEY WERE MOST RECENTLY IN NEW YORK CITY. YOU SAID SURVEILLANCE WAS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS. WAS THAT THE LAST PIECE OF SURVEILLANCE YOU RECEIVED, OR WAS THERE ANYTHING MORE FOR THAT? THAT’S CORRECT. COULD YOU JUST GO OVER THE TIMELINE ONE MORE TIME? I DO NOT HAVE THE TIMELINE IN FRONT OF ME. THE SURVEILLANCE. WHERE WAS THAT? WAS THAT A BUSINESS OR WAS THAT A RESTAURANT? DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY OFFICERS WERE DEVOTED TO THIS SEARCH? I CAN’T GIVE YOU A NUMBER. IT WOULD BE MEASURED IN THE DOZENS. THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SENT EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO TO INVESTIGATE THIS RIGHT AT ITS INCEPTION. SAME WITH THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE. WE HAD US, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. WE HAD AVIATION DRONES, CANINE INVESTIGATORS, UNIFORMED TROOPERS. EVERY RESOURCE WE HAD TO BEAR. WE APPLIED IN THIS INVESTIGATION. WHERE WILL THE ARRAIGNMENT BE HELD TODAY? DO YOU HAVE THE TIME? I DON’T HAVE A TIME. IT’S SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN TOWN OF TICONDEROGA COURT. JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID SHE WAS. THE BODY WAS FOUND IN SHALLOW WATER IN THE SHALLOW PORTION OF A POND IN A REMOTE AREA. THAT’S CORRECT. WHERE? WHAT AREA? WE’RE NOT DIVULGING THE LOCATION AT THIS POINT. DID IT APPEAR THAT HE HAD TRIED TO CONCEAL THE BODY? YES. HOW DO YOU THINK THE RESPONSE WAS? YOU HAD A MULTI-AGENCY SEARCH IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HOW DID THAT WORK FOR YOU? HOW DO YOU THINK THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALWAYS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY? WHILE THESE CASES ARE VERY RARE, THEY ARE INCREDIBLY TRAGIC. AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WILL ALWAYS UTILIZE ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO APPREHEND ANY OFFENDERS THAT ENDANGER CHILDREN. CAN YOU TALK AT ALL ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THIS CASE WAS INVOLVING A NINE YEAR OLD GIRL? IT WAS IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IT’S VERY EMOTIONAL. I WAS AT THE COMMAND POST WOULD RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT THAT SHE WAS DECEASED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND EMOTIONAL AT THAT POINT, THOUGH, THE BEST WE COULD DO IS PROVIDE SOME MEASURE OF JUSTICE TO THE FAMILY. AND WE ARE JUST FORTUNTE WE’RE ABLE TO DO THAT. IN THIS CASE. DID YOU SAY, LIKE WITHIN POLICE PRESENCE AFTER THAT 911 CALL, OR WAS HE ONE OTHER OBSERVATION? I’M SORRY, COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? AFTER HE MADE THE AFTER THE 911 CALL, DID HE STAY UNDER OBSERVATION BY POLICE? WAS HE I GUESS, IN SORT OF POLICE PRESENCE UP UNTIL HIS ARREST? YES. HE REPORTED THIS. HE HE FABRICATED THE INITIAL REPORT OF THE ABDUCTION, AND HE WAS IN, IN THE IN THE CUSTODY OF POLICE FROM THAT POINT ON. TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION, GUYS. CAN YOU SAY DID THE MOTHER. I’M SORRY, DID YOU SAY IF THE MOTHER HAD ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF HER DAUGHTER IN WHILE SHE WAS WITH HIM? SHE HAD NO CONCERNS FOR HER DAUGHTER’S SAFETY WHILE SHE WAS WITH HIM. SHE KNEW THAT HE WAS TAKING HER ON THIS TRIP TO TO THE STATES. LAW ENFORCEMENT WASN’T IN CONTACT WITH HER, AS WELL AS MONTREAL PD. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.