Identified! PA - Philadelphia - 'Boy in the Box' - 4UMPA - Feb'57 #3 - Joseph Augustus Zarelli

[LadyDulcinea]

Article about the man whose DNA test helped lead to the identification. Philly police identify the ‘Boy in the Box’ from notorious 1957 homicide

 

[alexina]

Can the link be posted for the information regarding JT's story?

 

[RaspberryMama]

I interpreted his comment to mean that JAZ was left in Fox Chase to throw suspicion into that area, and away from West Philadelphia. I figured that’s why LE sounded annoyed— it’s only common sense to leave a murder victim as far from the perpetrators location as possible. There was no hidden meaning there, IMO.

But it does mean they believe he was still living in West Philadelphia, correct? And the perpetrator lived there too?

I must sound really stupid, lol. But I do have reason for trying to get solid clarification.

 

[CCJD]

Could you copy & paste please? It seems I've reached my free article limit.

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www.websleuths.com

 

[RaspberryMama]

Right. The scar in his groin sounds like an inguinal hernia repair.

I wonder if that surgery was the reason for the (forgot what it's called) scar on his leg for an IV. He would have had an IV in place for the hernia surgery. If they couldn't find a good vein due to his size or dehydration, they might have done the leg procedure.

 

[IDK]

But it does mean they believe he was still living in West Philadelphia, correct? And the perpetrator lived there too?

I must sound really stupid, lol. But I do have reason for trying to get solid clarification.

You don’t sound stupid at all, and I think I know where you might be going with this?

I can’t give solid clarification though because who knows if this specific story line is being fed to the public for investigative reasons (though I don’t personally think so— for now at least)

 

[Astrach99]

Was there not a couple of witnesses that suggested the bassinet box had been there a while before Joseph's body was placed in it?

 

[GameChanger42]

I swear I saw someone post that the bassienet box was already on the scene? That they found the painted bassinet that matched the box (the location was a place that people used as a dumping ground. Not trying to be insensitive) which isn't uncommon my own town actaully was a big ditch/dump they built foot bridges to cross said ditch until it was covered up. Some streets have a huge dip in them and we have a sink hole problem.

 

[IDK]

If you clear your cache and your cookies, you should be able to see it. I am not allowed to copy and paste. This also lines up with the woman on TikTok who said she was a granddaughter of someone in the family.

Thanks and what worked for me is opening the article under a private browse. Can’t read it right now, but TY so much for posting!

Edited to add— it didn’t work for me this time, could only read first page.

 

[RaspberryMama]

Was there not a couple of witnesses that suggested the bassinet box had been there a while before Joseph's body was placed in it?

I don't think I've ever heard that.

 

[Ozoner]

There are people out there who are very good at genealogical research who will undoubtedly figure out who the parents are with a high level of confidence, so I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. I strongly disagree with law enforcement's decision not to name the boy's parents. This case has been the focus of public outrage for nearly seven decades. The public's right to know the truth far outweighs the family's right to privacy, in my opinion.

 

[jessr927]

There are people out there who are very good at genealogical research who will undoubtedly figure out who the parents are with a high level of confidence, so I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. I strongly disagree with law enforcement's decision not to name the boy's parents. This case has been the focus of public outrage for nearly seven decades. The public's right to know the truth far outweighs the family's right to privacy, in my opinion.

I'm fairly good with genealogy and I'm 99% sure I have figured out who Joseph's father is, however, I have no idea how to determine who his mother is.

 

[spacedcurls]

Article about the man whose DNA test helped lead to the identification. Philly police identify the ‘Boy in the Box’ from notorious 1957 homicide

Incredible. I have a feeling more family members might speak out over time now that this really narrows down who it could be, even if it's to say they disagree with the [scientific and concrete] findings.

 

[csa29]

I’m trying to find a link to the video i heard last night, but sadly it’s not on the site. Maybe it was a slip. Regardless, i agree we will probably hear from more family eventually once everyone processes this entire thing.

 

[GameChanger42]

There are people out there who are very good at genealogical research who will undoubtedly figure out who the parents are with a high level of confidence, so I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. I strongly disagree with law enforcement's decision not to name the boy's parents. This case has been the focus of public outrage for nearly seven decades. The public's right to know the truth far outweighs the family's right to privacy, in my opinion

If an adoption situation would mother not have rights to privacy even if deceased?

 

[txsleuth70]

Okay, so now it seems from the press conference that Joseph's mother's family was accepting of the DNA proving the connection. So maybe one of them will come forward soon with a little more information about her. JT's stepping forward at least 'allegedly' connects the DNA of the 'alleged, but identified' father's side. MOO

 

[IDK]

So lost here. If not too much of an imposition, can someone please message me who JT is?

Thanks, if you are able to

 

[spacedcurls]

There are still so many questions to answer, and we're only at the tip of the iceberg. There's still so much we don't know, but hopefully now with his name back, people might realize they know more about Joseph than when his identity was unknown. There are so many possibilities for what could have happened. Did his father know about his existence? Even if he did, it doesn't mean he was involved at all -- or maybe didn't believe at the time that Joseph was really his. (Anecdote; my father knows I exist, knows my name, but has always denied that I was his and has nothing to do with me -- but DNA testing has now linked me to his family so there's no denying it now! It could be a similar situation.) Was Joseph given up for adoption? And, worst of all, who is it that did this to him??

I hope that time will give us more of these answers.

 

[RaspberryMama]

There are people out there who are very good at genealogical research who will undoubtedly figure out who the parents are with a high level of confidence, so I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. I strongly disagree with law enforcement's decision not to name the boy's parents. This case has been the focus of public outrage for nearly seven decades. The public's right to know the truth far outweighs the family's right to privacy, in my opinion.

I've done genealogical research for close to 3 decades now. I think I've found potential relatives, but I know better than to jump to conclusions without seeing records. Did that quite often as a newbie genealogist and regretted it a good 50% of the time. Parents named their children after relatives that were not immediate family members, very, very often.

Actual records have to be obtained to be able to state anything as fact. Everything else is speculation.

MOO

 

[RaspberryMama]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>
I disagree that this alleged bio-father didn't know. (I disagree that this person is in fact undoubtedly the father, tbh.) MOO only because I'm still searching for a good link, but at that time period in PA, any person named as father had to sign an acknowledgement of paternity in order to have his name on the bc. Or he had to sign the original bc.

SO, if this "alleged bio-father" is the actual father on the bc... He could not have NOT known.

IMO,MOO,etc.