Landlord Convicted of Palestinian American Boy’s Murder Dies in Illinois Prison
Landlord Convicted of Palestinian American Boy’s Murder Dies in Illinois Prison
Joseph Czuba, the landlord sentenced to decades behind bars for the fatal stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy and the wounding of his mother, has died in prison. Czuba, 73, passed away Thursday while in the custody of the Illinois corrections department, according to reports from the Chicago Sun-Times and the Will County sheriff’s office.
Just three months prior to his death, Czuba received a 53-year sentence after being found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder, and hate-crime charges. The attack, which occurred in October 2023, targeted Wadee Alfayoumi and his mother, Hanan Shaheen, due to their Islamic faith and in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago office, commented on Saturday, stating, “this depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well.”
During the trial, harrowing testimony from Shaheen detailed how Czuba attacked her before turning on her son, insisting they leave because they were Muslim. Evidence presented included Shaheen’s frantic 911 call, graphic crime scene photos, and police video. Czuba stabbed Wadee Alfayoumi 26 times, leaving the knife in the child’s body.
The case garnered international attention, highlighting the disturbing rise in hostility against Muslims and Palestinians in the US following the October 2023 conflict.
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