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2w ago

Illinois Landlord Sentenced to 53 Years for Hate Crime Killing of 6-Year-Old Palestinian American Boy

Joseph Czuba received a likely life sentence for the murder of Wadee Alfayoumi and the attempted murder of his mother, driven by anti-Muslim hatred linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Joseph M. Czuba poses for a police booking photograph after being arrested by the Will County Sheriff's Office in Illinois, U.S., in this handout picture obtained by Reuters on October 15, 2023. Will County Sheriff/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
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Family and community member attend the funeral for six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi at Parkholm Cemetery on October 16, 2023 in LaGrange, Illinois.
FILE - Wadee Alfayoumi's father, Oday Al Fayoume, seated right, and his uncle Mahmoud Yousef attend a vigil for Wadee at Prairie Activity and Recreation center in Plainfield, Ill., Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

Overview

  • Joseph Czuba, 73, was sentenced to 53 years in prison after being convicted of murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges in February 2025.
  • The October 2023 attack killed 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, who was stabbed 26 times, and severely injured his mother, Hanan Shaheen, in Plainfield, Illinois.
  • Czuba's actions were fueled by anti-Muslim rhetoric and paranoia following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, according to prosecutors and testimony during the trial.
  • The case has drawn national attention to rising Islamophobia and the domestic impacts of international conflicts, prompting a federal hate crimes investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
  • Wadee's family has also filed civil wrongful death lawsuits, while the local community continues to honor his memory through a dedicated playground and other commemorations.