Dead men tell no tales or do they?

In New York City, a body has been found floating in the frozen Hudson River. Devoid of any identification, the medical examiner has determined by autopsy that in all probability, a crime has been committed that took place more than fifty years ago.

The body, that of a male, is missing a left ear, and the inside pocket of a pea coat contains black and white photographs along with a pack of 1952 Topps baseball cards. A classic textbook cold case, is this fact based on fiction or fiction based on fact?