The Boy in the Box: Philadelphia's Unknown Child episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 24, 2025 · 11 MIN

The Boy in the Box: Philadelphia's Unknown Child

from Cold Case Chronicles · host Neon Nights Studio

This episode examines the heartbreaking discovery of a young boy's body in a cardboard box in Philadelphia's Fox Chase neighborhood in 1957. We explore the recent breakthrough in identifying the victim as Joseph Augustus Zarelli and how genetic genealogy finally put a name to America's longest-running unsolved murder case. Through interviews with forensic experts and cold case detectives, we analyze the original evidence, the various theories proposed over decades, and the impact of modern technology in finally identifying the victim, while exploring the remaining questions about his killer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 24, 2025

Embed this episode

Ready to play

The Boy in the Box: Philadelphia's Unknown Child

0:00 11:53

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Cold Case Chronicles?

This episode is 11 minutes long.

When was this Cold Case Chronicles episode published?

This episode was published on June 24, 2025.

Can I download this Cold Case Chronicles episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!