Illinois Landlord Found Guilty of Murder and Hate Crime for Killing 6-Year-Old Palestinian Boy and Attacking Family
Joliet, Ill (Quds News Network)- Joseph Czuba, 73, has been found guilty of murder and hate crime charges for the brutal attack on a Palestinian American family in Plainfield, Illinois, on October 14, 2023. Czuba targeted the family because of their Islamic faith and Palestinian ethnicity, driven by hatred fueled by Israel’s genocide in Gaza and related propaganda.
Czuba killed six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and severely injured his mother, Hanan Shaheen, in the brutal assault. Wadee was stabbed 26 times and left with a knife in his body. Czuba reportedly told the family, “Muslims are not welcome,” before carrying out the attack.
The jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before delivering the guilty verdict. The case, which has drawn widespread attention, has raised concerns about rising anti-Muslim sentiment and discrimination in the United States, fueled by the Israeli lobby propaganda.
Shaheen, who survived the attack, testified about the horrific events, recalling how Czuba attacked her and her son after informing her they had to move out because of their Muslim identity. She described Czuba’s chilling words: “You, as a Muslim, must die.”
Police found Czuba outside the home with blood on his hands and body. He had pleaded not guilty, but evidence, including graphic photos, a 911 call, and police video footage, tied him to the violent crime.
Czuba is scheduled for sentencing on May 2, 2025.
The murder has drawn widespread condemnation. Civil rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, have welcomed the guilty verdict. They called for an end to the anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hate that fueled this tragic crime.
In addition to criminal charges, civil lawsuits have been filed by Wadee’s father, Oday Al-Fayoumi, who was not living in the house at the time of the attack.
The case has highlighted the growing hostility towards Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. amid the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people.
