Identified! PA - Philadelphia, 'Boy in the Box', WhtMale 4-6, 4UMPA, Feb'57 #2 - Joseph Augustus Zarelli

[Friday Fan]

Yes, this is exactly what I'm talking about! You'd think a detail like this would be more widely known, but apparently it isn't. I've read about it here and there, but for the most part it gets left out of most write-ups.

Wasn't it pretty much a dump site?

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[digiskunk]

Wasn't it pretty much a dump site?

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

I think you could be right, which raises another major question: Why would somebody ditch a body in an area that's frequented by people dumping stuff?

Moreover, who kills a cat and then stuffs it in a sweater, only to abandon it? That's just so damn bizarre to me. Is it possible the kid was lured with the cat, and then the cat was "eliminated" and attempted to be "hidden" to conceal evidence? I don't know. I'm probably over-thinking now. But all I know is that that detail stands out like a sore thumb to me.

I know it was a different time and place, but c'mon. A dead cat? In a sweater? At a dumping ground? It takes a pretty morbid person to do something like that, unless I'm just being naive.

 

[Sweetluv]

Unless it was this poor little boys cat...the monster that killed the boy, killed his cat too...morbid, agreed!

 

[Shamrock1]

Yes, this is exactly what I'm talking about! You'd think a detail like this would be more widely known, but apparently it isn't. I've read about it here and there, but for the most part it gets left out of most write-ups.

All of those items could probably be found on the side of just about any Philadelphia (“Filthadelphia”) road today - can’t imagine it was better back then. If you don’t have a backyard and a pet dies, the side of the road starts to look good. Did M. mention any of those items?

 

[Friday Fan]

I think you could be right, which raises another major question: Why would somebody ditch a body in an area that's frequented by people dumping stuff?

Moreover, who kills a cat and then stuffs it in a sweater, only to abandon it? That's just so damn bizarre to me. Is it possible the kid was lured with the cat, and then the cat was "eliminated" and attempted to be "hidden" to conceal evidence? I don't know. I'm probably over-thinking now. But all I know is that that detail stands out like a sore thumb to me.

I know it was a different time and place, but c'mon. A dead cat? In a sweater? At a dumping ground? It takes a pretty morbid person to do something like that, unless I'm just being naive.

Illegal dumping used to be a big problem. Garbage pickup wasn't the best. A dead pet, what do you do with it?
We found two kittens and they eventually both died in a few weeks. My dad did not bury them. We discovered them in the garage in shoeboxes. After that, they disappeared.

Landlords can prohibit burying of pets.

Nowadays, anyone can call animal control and they will retrieve it. Back then, good luck.

 

[Shamrock1]

I think you could be right, which raises another major question: Why would somebody ditch a body in an area that's frequented by people dumping stuff?

Moreover, who kills a cat and then stuffs it in a sweater, only to abandon it? That's just so damn bizarre to me. Is it possible the kid was lured with the cat, and then the cat was "eliminated" and attempted to be "hidden" to conceal evidence? I don't know. I'm probably over-thinking now. But all I know is that that detail stands out like a sore thumb to me.

I know it was a different time and place, but c'mon. A dead cat? In a sweater? At a dumping ground? It takes a pretty morbid person to do something like that, unless I'm just being naive.

Dead cat wrapped in a sweater makes sense for an owner without a yard or prompt garbage pick-up. No one wants their dead pet stinking up their driveway/apt complex or getting pulled from garbage by raccoons/dogs.

 

[digiskunk]

All of those items could probably be found on the side of just about any Philadelphia (“Filthadelphia”) road today - can’t imagine it was better back then. If you don’t have a backyard and a pet dies, the side of the road starts to look good. Did M. mention any of those items?

You're right, such random items are to be expected. Still, it rubs me the wrong way and perhaps that's why I'm overthinking these things. I think it's the whole sweater aspect, to be honest—it's like they were trying to be sneaky and conceal it. Maybe it was a common pet cemetery, who knows.

 

[digiskunk]

Illegal dumping used to be a big problem. Garbage pickup wasn't the best. A dead pet, what do you do with it?

Are you also from the Philly area? I wouldn't doubt it if a lot of people just trashed their dead pets regardless of garbage pickup, unfortunately...

 

[Shamrock1]

You're right, such random items are to be expected. Still, it rubs me the wrong way and perhaps that's why I'm overthinking these things. I think it's the whole sweater aspect, to be honest—it's like they were trying to be sneaky and conceal it. Maybe it was a common pet cemetery, who knows.

I think you’re overthinking it . I can see a family wrapping a beloved pet in something soft (like an outgrown or moth-eaten sweater) and placing the bundle off the road. I doubt it was a pet cemetery - just vacant plot of land with the kind of refuse typical for a city. If you poked around vacant lots/roadsides today, I’m sure you’d quickly find a cloth-wrapped pet.

If the cat and boy were in the same box or somehow tethered together, it’d be different.

 

[digiskunk]

I think you’re overthinking it . I can see a family wrapping a beloved pet in something soft (like an outgrown or moth-eaten sweater) and placing the bundle off the road. I doubt it was a pet cemetery - just vacant plot of land with the kind of refuse typical for a city. If you poked around vacant lots/roadsides today, I’m sure you’d quickly find a cloth-wrapped pet.

If the cat and boy were in the same box or somehow tethered together, it’d be different.

You're right. The investigators knew a lot more than we (especially I) do, which is probably why they didn't take it too seriously. Moreover it wouldn't make sense for the perpetrators to kill and leave a cat; it would be absolutely redundant, especially since the cat wouldn't be able to testify in court anyways.

 

[Friday Fan]

Are you also from the Philly area? I wouldn't doubt it if a lot of people just trashed their dead pets regardless of garbage pickup, unfortunately...

No, but that was the way it was back then. People just didn't bury pets, except in the movies. My dad wouldn't do it and we lived in Seattle. (Guess he thought it was taboo) We also owned the home with a nice backyard.

 

[Springrain]

I had a dream last night that BITB was identified! Hopefully it comes true.

 

[Palisades]

People have always buried pets. There are even pet gravestones. People also use to kill animals they didnt want, especially kittens. People still try, but fortunatly it is less acceptable now.

Another chance is the sweater was dumped or forgotten there, a sick or old cat crawled in for warmth and died.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I am still very hopeful he will be Identified. I pray we hear he is soon.

 

[digiskunk]

An incredibly fascinating new post from @PattyWack84 --

The Klein Brothers and the Boy in the Box

I see from some of the discussions about the Klein brothers that you had the same idea I had about the youngest one possibly being the "Boy in the Box". Would you happen to know of any sources that could confirm whether DNA had been taken from the oldest brother? In one of the articles I read...

www.websleuths.com

I don't know much about the Klein Brothers, so I'm going to have to read more into that. If anybody knows more about this—perhaps this exact theory—please fill me in with some details that I should know!

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Will they please be releasing some information on him and DNA findings. We care very much about him and would love to know more about him and what they found out. What is his nationality ect... Things they can tell about him now. I pray there is a update very soon he is Identified.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I am still so hopeful he will be Identified. I hope they please be releasing some information on him and DNA findings. I would still love to know more about him and what they found out. What is his nationality ect... Things they can tell about him right now. I pray there is a update very soon he is Identified. He will always be in my heat.

 

[FeelingSleuthy]

1st post!!

I just wanted to bump this poor boys post again, still no news? I can tell we're close, just not there yet.

I spent the past 2 days reading the entire 1st thread from 2006-2019 (92pages), then came over to this 1.

I'm just so happy no one gave up on this little boy! I hope we have all the answers soon!

Ms Suzanne, I truly admire you, and the amount of determination and love you have for this little boy, he definitely has a guardian angel in you.

To all the other, like rutt, scarlet, all the original sleuths who called LE and emailed non stop, without receiving a single reply, you guys really deserve only the best in life, you cared so much for someone other than yourself over those years, and you've been fantastic!

I know we're in this together and his identification would bring soooo many people joy

 

[Sweetluv]

Welcome FeelingSleuthy...
Great thread for your 1st post! Agreed, Ms Suzanne is close to this case
This little boy is wayyyyy overdue for getting his name back. It would be so nice if we close out 2022 with his case resolved.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Could someone post the list of exclusions from The boy in the box by NamUs? I would really appreciate it.