The Boy in the Box: Who Killed Joseph Augustus Zarelli? (Philadelphia, 1957)

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Whispers of Crime: Unsolved True Crime

Tochukwu Ezebube

63 episodes

15 hours ago

What happens when a 20-year cold case suddenly breaks wide open?

I'm Tochukwu Ezebube, and for the past 7 years, I've been digging into the darkest corners of unsolved murders that police gave up on. What started as a journalist covering local crime stories turned into an obsession that cost me sleep, relationships, and nearly my sanity.

But it also led to something incredible: 3 cold cases reopened, 2 killers caught, and 1 innocent man freed.

Whispers of Crime: Unsolved True Crime isn't just another true crime podcast. It's where forgotten victims finally get their voices heard and families get the answers they've waited decades for.

Every week, I take you inside cases that will make your blood run cold:

Serial killers who are still walking free (including one who lives closer to you than you think)
Murder cases the police "closed" but never solved
Missing people whose disappearances hide shocking family secrets
DNA breakthroughs that are changing everything we thought we knew

I don't just tell you what happened. I show you the crime scene photos, play you the 911 calls, and take you inside the interrogation rooms where killers finally break down and confess sometimes.

Warning: These aren't bedtime stories. Last week, a listener called to say my episode on the "Playground Killer" made her check on her daughter three times that night. Another wrote to tell me she solved a 15-year-old missing person case in her hometown after hearing my tips on spotting patterns.

The victims trusted the wrong person. The families trusted the wrong system. The killers thought they got away with it.

They were all wrong.

If you can handle the truth about what people are really capable of, hit play. But don't listen alone.

New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe now because these cases won't solve themselves.

🔍 Real crimes. Real evidence. Real justice. 📱 Follow @WhispersOfCrime for case updates and breaking news ⚖️ Got a tip? Send it to tips@whispersofcrime.com - you could help solve the next case

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Serial killers who are still walking free (including one who lives closer to you than you think)
Murder cases the police "closed" but never solved
Missing people whose disappearances hide shocking family secrets
DNA breakthroughs that are changing everything we thought we knew

The Boy in the Box: Who Killed Joseph Augustus Zarelli? (Philadelphia, 1957)

Whispers of Crime: Unsolved True Crime

26 minutes

1 week ago

The Boy in the Box: Who Killed Joseph Augustus Zarelli? (Philadelphia, 1957)

A four-year-old boy's body was found wrapped in a blanket inside a JCPenney bassinet box in the woods of Fox Chase, Philadelphia, on 25 February 1957. His hair had been freshly cut, his fingernails trimmed - someone had groomed him before he died from blunt force trauma.

For 65 years, he was known only as "America's Unknown Child." Despite 400,000 flyers distributed across the United States, intensive police investigations, and three separate theories involving foster homes, family abuse, and a Catholic orphanage, nobody could identify him.

In December 2022, forensic genetic genealogy finally gave him a name: Joseph Augustus Zarelli, born 13 January 1953 to parents who had both died years earlier.

But even with his identity confirmed, the case remains unsolved. Police suspect family involvement but lack prosecutable evidence.

Joseph's killer has never been found, and critical questions remain unanswered about who had custody of this "ghost child" between 1953 and 1957.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/whispers-of-crime--6281125/support.

Whispers of Crime is your go-to true crime podcast for exploring the most chilling unsolved mysteries, cold cases, and murder investigations that continue to baffle experts in 2025. We dive deep into infamous serial killer cases, forensic evidence analysis, and criminal investigations that remain shrouded in mystery.

Our true crime episodes uncover shocking twists, DNA breakthroughs, and the latest investigative leads in cases like the Zodiac Killer, Golden State Killer, Long Island Serial Killer, and other notorious unsolved murders. From missing persons cases to underreported crimes, we shine a light on forgotten mysteries that deserve justice and closure.

Whether you're fascinated by forensic files, criminal psychology, or real-life detective work, Whispers of Crime delivers gripping storytelling with compelling evidence analysis. We explore everything from famous cold cases and police investigations to lesser-known homicides and disappeared persons cases that still haunt families and communities.

Join our community of true crime enthusiasts every Tuesday and Friday at 8 PM for new episodes featuring:

In-depth cold case investigations and breakthrough developments
Serial killer profiles and criminal behavior analysis
Unsolved murder mysteries with exclusive interviews
Missing persons cases and abduction investigations
Forensic science insights and DNA evidence updates
Many others...

Whispers of Crime: Unsolved True Crime

Serial killers who are still walking free (including one who lives closer to you than you think)
Murder cases the police "closed" but never solved
Missing people whose disappearances hide shocking family secrets
DNA breakthroughs that are changing everything we thought we knew