NY - Melina Frattolin, 9, Abducted, seen 9:40pm in a white van traveling south on I-87 near exit 22, Lake George, 19 Jul 2025 *arrest*

[Woolly]

Wearing a Tyvek suit sounds like premeditated murder to me - not second degree.

He was given the Tyvek suit to wear by law enforcement after they took his clothes as evidence. It looks to me like he was just wearing a white t-shirt in the car.

 

[Tealgrove]

It sounds like he can afford a good attorney.
Hoping his ex in Canada can also file a civil suit for Wrongful Death and take him for everything he is worth.

IMO

Apparently he’s not worth much.

 

[Tealgrove]

So initial reports were that Melina’s mother was not concerned with the father taking her on the trip.

Now we are hearing that there were custodial issues.

So….did he kill so the mother couldn’t have her? We’ve been down this road before many times or…did he kill her because he couldn’t afford her anymore?

See, now I’m thinking the former. Spite! If I can’t have her neither can you.

MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Rob Gregor, the owner of Gregor Hotels on Canada St., told CBS6 News of Albany, N.Y., that one of his employees found a tablet in a raised flower garden located near the hotel early on Sunday morning.

When a staff member turned it on, they saw photos of a girl resembling Melina. Staffers recognized the picture because an Amber Alert with her image had been issued late Saturday night after she had been reported missing.

“She plugged in the tablet and the first photographs look very much like the missing girl at the time. She was missing — we didn’t know that she was deceased — so I ran over to the hotel,” Gregor told CBS6 News

https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/local-crime/article1060618.html

 

[tlcya]

IF as reports seem to indicate, he was in financial trouble, and since it is also reported he enjoyed a lavish lifestyle he couldn't necessarily afford, AND has been reported he was not exactly thrilled by fatherhood, his child could have represented a headache and hit to the wallet he no longer wanted to deal with.

No child, no child support.

 

[AngTxGal]

Summary of differences between first- and second-degree murder in NY State:

Murder in New York law - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

As per the descriptions from above…
2nd Degree- He could still get life without possibility of parole because she is under 14 yrs old.

That is good news
IMO

 

[tlcya]

Rob Gregor, the owner of Gregor Hotels on Canada St., told CBS6 News of Albany, N.Y., that one of his employees found a tablet in a raised flower garden located near the hotel early on Sunday morning.

When a staff member turned it on, they saw photos of a girl resembling Melina. Staffers recognized the picture because an Amber Alert with her image had been issued late Saturday night after she had been reported missing.

“She plugged in the tablet and the first photographs look very much like the missing girl at the time. She was missing — we didn’t know that she was deceased — so I ran over to the hotel,” Gregor told CBS6 News

https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/local-crime/article1060618.html

Sundowner on Lake George – Lakefront Hotel in Lake George | Gregor Hotels Family

points of interest

Saratoga springs - victim last seen on video

The Sundowner on Lake George - victim tablet found, this is also near the area where victim was reported missing by father Exit 22 off I-87 in Lake George.

Ticonderoga - victim's body located in a pond, under a long, COD drowning, also near where a witness claims to have seen father behaving strangely on the side of the road.

so it looks as if, they travelled north from Saratoga up to Ticonderoga, where he murdered Melina, then he back tracked south, down to Lake George, chucked her tablet into a flower bed, then a short distance away he pulled over and made his hoax abduction call to 911? Or? Trying to make sense of his route.

 

[Inthedetails]

Sundowner on Lake George – Lakefront Hotel in Lake George | Gregor Hotels Family

points of interest

Saratoga springs - victim last seen on video

The Sundowner on Lake George - victim tablet found, this is also near the area where victim was reported missing by father Exit 22 off I-87 in Lake George.

Ticonderoga - victim's body located in a pond, under a long, COD drowning, also near where a witness claims to have seen father behaving strangely on the side of the road.

so it looks as if, they travelled north from Saratoga up to Ticonderoga, where he murdered Melina, then he back tracked south, down to Lake George, chucked her tablet into a flower bed, then a short distance away he pulled over and made his hoax abduction call to 911? Or? Trying to make sense of his route.

This is a helpful listing. Yes, I think the same as what you're thinking about the movement.

I'm wondering of the Sundowner has video camera and perhaps caught someone tossing the tablet from a car?

jmopinion

 

[truthfinder2019]

But why not simply throw the tablet in Lake George, it wouldn’t have been found there

 

[Inthedetails]

But why not simply throw the tablet in Lake George, it wouldn’t have been found there

I wonder if he expected the tablet to be found. He tossed not far from where he claimed the "abduction" happened. Perhaps he wanted LE to think the non-existent kidnappers tossed it.

jmo

 

[truthfinder2019]

I wonder if he expected the tablet to be found. He tossed not far from where he claimed the "abduction" happened. Perhaps he wanted LE to think the non-existent kidnappers tossed it.

jmo

Very good point, except if so , he did not think there wouldn’t be fingerprints other than his and Melina’s…

 

[Inthedetails]

Very good point, except if so , he did not think there wouldn’t be fingerprints other than his and Melina’s…

"Very good point" right back atcha!

His thinking clearly was muddled about this whole situation.

jmo

 

[Sunshine99]

This is a helpful listing. Yes, I think the same as what you're thinking about the movement.

I'm wondering of the Sundowner has video camera and perhaps caught someone tossing the tablet from a car?

jmopinion

Likely. Cameras are everywhere. Tablets have accelerometers, GPS, magnetic orientation, screen orientation, and can have sensor utilization apps. The tablet would "know" when and how fast and direction of travel if it was thrown. That Prius would generate a map of driving route, especially if it is a rental.

 

[tlcya]

I wonder if he expected the tablet to be found. He tossed not far from where he claimed the "abduction" happened. Perhaps he wanted LE to think the non-existent kidnappers tossed it.

jmo

unless he tossed it while she was still alive, before driving up to Ticonderoga, because it was a means of communicating with her mother, and he was irritated about that communication.

Maybe that is why he back tracked to report her "abduction" from the location he did. Perhaps he didn't plan to kill her until after he already had tossed her tablet in anger some miles back, then realized after killing her he would need to pretend someone took and killed her.

I am wondering if, after killing her, he returned to the area he had tossed the tablet to try to retrieve it but couldn't locate it and so reported her abduction from nearby so that LE would think her abductors had tossed it not him.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1948401505196703943

 

[tlcya]

Although Gregor swears he saw images of Frattolin on the device, a spokesperson with the New York State Police told Daily Mail the 'found tablet had no relevance to the investigation.'

After analyzing the device and determining it was not linked to the little girl, police located its owner and plan to return it, authorities added.
Melina Frattolin 'evidence' dumped after she was killed 'by dad'

Okay, so the update from the DM just linked by @Dotta establishes the tablet was NOT that of Melina. So my speculations about how and when it was dumped are moot.

 

[Inthedetails]

unless he tossed it while she was still alive, before driving up to Ticonderoga, because it was a means of communicating with her mother, and he was irritated about that communication.

Maybe that is why he back tracked to report her "abduction" from the location he did. Perhaps he didn't plan to kill her until after he already had tossed her tablet in anger some miles back, then realized after killing her he would need to pretend someone took and killed her.

I am wondering if, after killing her, he returned to the area he had tossed the tablet to try to retrieve it but couldn't locate it and so reported her abduction from nearby so that LE would think her abductors had tossed it not him.

More good ideas that fit the scenario.

I'm still on the fence at this being planned or spontaneous.

jmo

eta: just read that the tablet is unrelated. Disappointed it won't provide evidence, but I hope the owner is able to get it back!

 

[Curious Me]

Video of his arrest and general facts.

ABC News
Father accused of killing daughter and reporting her abducted - A Canadian father has been charged with killing his 9-year-old daughter after telling police she had been abducted near Lake George in upstate New York by a stranger in a white van.​

Video here:

MSN

 

[borndem]

It doesnt say but if he was such a big wheel, he didnt need to rent an economical car for the trip. ( Role player)

He possibly could have leased a car. (whatever)

 

[borndem]

Curious about the autopsy results. I wonder how the ME determined it was drowning by homicide instead of drowning by accident.

Wondering if someone is being held down in water to drown someone, if the lungs would hold more water than if someone was drowning on his/her own.
It may not make a difference when the person is brought up after drowning -- the water may not stay in either body after the person is retrieved. (Just a thought.)