Luciano Frattolin Is the Founder of Gambella Coffee. Now He's Accused of Murder

Luciano Frattolin is the father of deceased Quebec child Melina Frattolin and the founder of Gambella coffee, among other business interests.

The Gambella coffee about us page reads,  "Luciano Frattolin is an experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record of building diverse, high-performance businesses."

The organic coffee company's website lists Frattolin as its founder and mentions Melina, 9.

Melina was found deceased in a Ticonderoga pond in New York state after her dad claimed she was possibly abducted, according to a news release and press conference from New York State police. The cause of death is not yet clear.

New York State Police Capt. Robert McConnell said in the July 21 news conference that Luciano Frattolin, 45, has now been charged with second-degree murder and concealing a body in connection with Melina's death. The Montreal Gazette referred to Luciano as a "Montreal businessman."

Update!
Luciano frattolin has been ARRESTED. His 9-year-old daughter Melina Frattolin found dead. https://t.co/A1XEKLzQZU pic.twitter.com/GJEGVCEJYk

— JLR© (@JLRINVESTIGATES) July 21, 2025

“This investigation has revealed that on July 11, 2025, Mr. Frattolin and Melina, both residents of Montreal, Que., legally entered the United States for the purpose of a vacation," he said. 

He said the father and daughter were expected to return to Canada on July 20, where Emlina would be "returned to the custody of her mother in Montreal. The mother and Mr. Frattolin had been estranged since 2019.”On July 19, 2025, at approximately 9:58 p.m., Warren County 911 "received a call from a man reporting his 9-year-old daughter missing, with a possible abduction, in the area of Exit 22 of I-87 in Lake George, New York. The child was identified as Melina Frattolin, age 9, and the caller as her father, Luciano Frattolin, age 45, both residents of Canada," it reads. Authorities said they later discovered inconsistencies in the father's statements.

The Gambella website fleshes out the bio of Luciano Frattolin in great detail.

"With a background in the humanities and social sciences, his formal education, together with his pragmatic understanding about the complexities of life, motivates him to maintain an understanding of the world grounded in a distinct cross-cultural ethos," it says.

The website describes Luciano Frattolin as the "son of an Ethiopian mother and an Italian father, Luciano was born in the small, remote village of Gambella. With a childhood spent running between rows of crimson coffee buds on the Ethiopian family plantation, and the neoclassical architecture of his father’s Milano, his vision of the world and his pursuits within, reflect these hyphenated cultures."

He often experienced racism and "feelings of isolation" and further struggled with his dad's "premature" death, which came when Luciano was 17, the page says. He subsequently studied in the U.S. and London, where he felt more accepted.

"He was left reinvigorated and reconciled the difficulties he faced during his youth by embodying the Nietzschean attitude of, 'That which does not kill him makes him stronger.' This philosophy translated into great financial success across numerous ventures, from architecture to real estate, to construction, mining and of course, coffee," the page reads. 

The page also references an "unfortunate event that severely affected his well-being. Though his road to recovery was long and arduous, he remained determined. As he persevered through his recovery, he realized that he was no longer lured by profit and instead, decided to invest in people and ideas that resonated with the promise of futurity, creativity, and community well-being." The page doesn't explain the nature of the event. 

"Luciano currently spends as much time as he can in Montreal, Canada, with his beautiful daughter Melina. As the light of his life, she is the inspiration for…well, everything," the page continues.

"His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood. Seeing the world through her eyes has also helped Luciano look for creative ways to reinforce and empower Melina to know, feel, and understand her own unique individual beauty and intellect, while also teaching her to celebrate those same virtues inherent in the world’s diversity," the page notes.

"On a lighter note, Melina has also taught Luciano to let go of his rigid tendencies to keep everything in 'perfect order'—his love for Melina’s messy art projects and chaotic ensemble of toys supersedes his love for a meticulously spotless home," it concludes.

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