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

[jinger]

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IMO Joseph isn’t full Italian, this case wouldn’t have been solveable in ged match. He’s definitely half English/Irish

 

[Tarahhhh8]

There's so much to speculate and some of it is very probable but most it seems is just too far. there is a likely scenario which I have an opinion on but I won't blast it all on here. The things we know - his real given name at birth. He at one time but for how long we dont' know - lived in West Philly near 61st and Market. and even this fact involves some assumption based on the police captain's words. we know his birth date so we know his age at the time he died. At least one of his parents came some type of well known family in Delco. But that's it. Very easy to put together more info which some is quite possibly true but maybe we can all just keep it calms so we can continue to discuss our ideas?

 

[DFWNF]

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My late grandpa and 2 great uncles all had the same first name, Joseph, with different middle names.

 

[spacedcurls]

I missed the last part of the presser, so I'm hoping someone can pinpoint exactly what was said about family(?) denying the paternity of Joseph? Or the time stamp, if they recall?

It's at about the 39:45 mark.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

This thread is closed for review. Do NOT open another thread.

We are THIS close to closing this discussion and leaving only a *NO DISCUSSION* Media thread available.

This is being considered due to the unbelievable number of Alerts and TOS violations that are occurring.

 

[Sillybilly]

"Police said during a Thursday morning press conference that they will not be identifying the boy's parents at this time out of respect for Zarelli's siblings, some of whom are still alive."

What's not clear about the above?

Why are some members disregarding what LE has said and decide it's okay to flat-out name people and sleuth families with a view to identifying the parents, etc ?? This is disrespectful to LE, to the family, and to Websleuths to totally disregard LE's position in this matter.

You can do all the sleuthing you want behind the scenes and in private messaging, but until such time as LE has released more information, do NOT splash the names of innocent people and their families all across this forum.

Post respectfully and responsibly or you won't be allowed to post in this discussion, or you may experience a temporary or permanent loss of posting privileges.

This thread is open again while we continue cleanup as time permits.

 

[Hochman]

Another reconstruction, i believe this is done by Carl K.

 

[airportwoman]

Say his name: Joseph Augustus Zarelli.

As for him not having a Social Security number, until they were required to file tax returns, many people did not get them until they got their first job. I got mine in 1978, when I was 14 years old.

 

[Buzzaround]

<modsnip> I lived in Philadelphia for 40 years and I just looked at my High School yearbook, there are 9 Zarelli's in there from 3 different families. Just sayin' it is a pretty popular Surname in the area.

Now that's some solid information from someone on the ground in the area. Thanks.

It probably doesn't come as a surprise, but we don't have as many Zarellis in Austin as you do up in Philly. Heh.

 

[Unicorn80!]

I can tell you that when I was born, in Ohio, in 1977, my parents weren't married and they made my mother give me her last name. I don't know how common that was, or if it applied to PA as well. My parents married a year later and my last name was changed, I actually didn't know anything about it until I needed a birth certificate for some reason and I saw my original BC and SS card with my mom's maiden name.

I was born in PA in 1980. My mom gave me her maiden name (not sure if she had to or wanted to) but my bio father couldn’t put me on his medical insurance with a different last name than his. So when I went to the doctor I was under his last name, and my mom’s everywhere else.

This made doctor’s notes for school super fun lol (and could you imagine this happening today??)

 

[QueenC]

So nice to be able to call him by name. <modsnip: No approved source to support information stated as fact> I wonder if that location might be significant, especially with the speculation that his parents may not have been married.

 

[EndDomination]

The last thread on this was deeply worrying due to the absurd speculation. I know I am new to this forum, but the accusations were deeply worrying.

We should start with the actual available information:
1. His name was Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
2. He was born on January 13, 1953, and is likely from West Philadelphia.
3. In accordance with police statements his parents are deceased, and he has siblings on both sides of his family (meaning mother and father).
4. There are a handful of Zarelli families who lived in or near West Philadelphia at the time of his birth and death, though none of them have come forward.
5. There was, in 2002, a report made by a woman going by either "Martha" or "M" who posited that her abusive mother had "purchased" Zarelli, and kept him at the home, with several details provided that were only under the purview of law enforcement (including stomach contents and details of the crime scene) - though she identified Joseph as "Jonathan."

The last point is only speculative, but is a strong lead.

The last point, regarding the *potential* father and mother is that, it was still common in the 1950s for parents to send their children away if they were impoverished or unmarried, and it is highly likely, judging from the information provided by police, that Zarelli's parents were unmarried.

I think anything beyond the above is outside of the realm of possibility, until official records are provided.

 

[WildhorseC]

My theory is that Joseph was born out of wedlock and put up for adoption. Hence LE's using bio parents and saying that he had siblings on both sides. The bio parents likely went on to have other families. I don't believe they, whoever, they were, were involved in Joseph's death. As far as not alerting LE at the time, if he was given up as an infant, it would be unlikely that they would have even recognized him as their child. The father may not have even known about him.

I agree except i think father did know about him. If not someone signed the bc as the father

 

[breachtones]

Say his name: Joseph Augustus Zarelli.

As for him not having a Social Security number, until they were required to file tax returns, many people did not get them until they got their first job. I got mine in 1978, when I was 14 years old.

Same case for me, and that was well into the 21st century. Definitely not a super uncommon thing throughout history.

 

[WildhorseC]

The last thread on this was deeply worrying due to the absurd speculation. I know I am new to this forum, but the accusations were deeply worrying.

We should start with the actual available information:
1. His name was Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
2. He was born on January 13, 1953, and is likely from West Philadelphia.
3. In accordance with police statements his parents are deceased, and he has siblings on both sides of his family (meaning mother and father).
4. There are a handful of Zarelli families who lived in or near West Philadelphia at the time of his birth and death, though none of them have come forward.
5. There was, in 2002, a report made by a woman going by either "Martha" or "M" who posited that her abusive mother had "purchased" Zarelli, and kept him at the home, with several details provided that were only under the purview of law enforcement (including stomach contents and details of the crime scene) - though she identified Joseph as "Jonathan."

The last point is only speculative, but is a strong lead.

The last point, regarding the *potential* father and mother is that, it was still common in the 1950s for parents to send their children away if they were impoverished or unmarried, and it is highly likely, judging from the information provided by police, that Zarelli's parents were unmarried.

I think anything beyond the above is outside of the realm of possibility, until official records are provided.

I agree except I haven’t seen anything saying Martha was correct about the beans. Everything else I’ve seen she could easily have gotten from newspapers. I don’t believe her yet I don’t not believe her. I’m just not sure & there is probably a reason police didn’t investigate further than they did

 

[steff13]

There was something in the presser I didn't understand, not being a medical person - the ME said there was evidence that he had some sort of intravenous treatment, was the correct, and what was the significance of that? Would that have had to have happened shortly prior to his death?

If I recall, there was some sort of evidence of a surgery, wasn't there? I wonder if those records still exist.

 

[breachtones]

I agree except I haven’t seen anything saying Martha was correct about the beans. Everything else I’ve seen she could easily have gotten from newspapers. I don’t believe her yet I don’t not believe her. I’m just not sure & there is probably a reason police didn’t investigate further than they did

The reason was that they dismissed her claims because she was "mentally ill". Which IMO is a pretty weak reason to dismiss what seemed to be a very plausible lead.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Does anyone have an image of Joseph's birth certification? <modsnip>

In PA, you can put any surname on the birth certificate, so I would not rule out female members of the family.

People do have children outside of marriages, even in the 1950's.

Also, keep in mind that, while a great clue, paternity/maternity does not equal murder.

 

[worldwatcher]

“Philadelphia Homicide Captain Jason Smith said during a Thursday morning press conference that it will be "an uphill battle for us to definitively determine who caused this child's death."

“When asked by reporters whether the "uphill battle" he described meant Zarelli's killer or killers may not be identified, Smith said, "That's correct."

"We may not make an arrest. We may never make an identification," he said. "But we're going to do our darnedest to try."

SBM - 'Boy in the Box' Joseph Zarelli's killer "may never" be caught, cops admit

 

[staceytout1616]

Did a hospital issue the birth certificate? Who filed it?