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CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Landlord imprisoned for decades in hate-crime attack on Palestinian American family has died
A landlord sentenced to decades in prison after he killed a Palestinian American boy and wounded his mother has died. Three months ago, Joseph Czuba was sentenced to 53 years behind bars for the attack. He was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of the boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen. The 73-year-old Czuba targeted them in October 2023 because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which started days earlier. Czuba died Thursday in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to a statement from the Will County Sheriff's Office. Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations' Chicago office, said in a statement on Saturday that 'this depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well.' Evidence at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 call, along with bloody crime scene photos and police video. Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes before handing in a verdict. The family had been renting rooms in Czuba's home in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago when the attack happened. Central to prosecutors' case was harrowing testimony from the boy's mother, who said Czuba attacked her before moving on to her son, insisting they had to leave because they were Muslim. Prosecutors also played the 911 call and showed police footage. Czuba's wife, Mary, whom he has since divorced, also testified for the prosecution, saying he had become agitated about the Israel-Hamas war, which had erupted days earlier. Police said Czuba pulled a knife from a holder on a belt and stabbed the boy 26 times, leaving the knife in the child's body. Some of the bloody crime scene photos were so explicit that the judge agreed to turn television screens showing them away from the audience, which included Wadee's relatives. The attack renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination and hit particularly hard in Plainfield and surrounding suburbs, which have a large and established Palestinian community. Wadee's funeral drew large crowds, and Plainfield officials have dedicated a park playground in his honor.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Who was Joseph Czuba? Landlord who killed 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy in hate crime dies in Illinois prison
Joseph Czuba, a landlord who was serving a 53-year prison sentence for killing a Palestinian American boy and stabbing his mother, has died in custody. Joseph Czuba, 73, was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges for an attack that killed 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi(AP) He died Thursday in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office, according to New York post report. Who was Joseph Czuba ? Joseph Czuba, 73, was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges for an attack that killed 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and injured his mother, Hanan Shaheen in October 2023. Prosecutors said Czuba targeted the family because they were Muslim and that he was upset over the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which had broken out just days earlier. The family was renting rooms in Czuba's Plainfield home, about 40 miles from Chicago, at the time of the attack. Evidence in the trial included Shaheen's 911 call, her testimony, police video, and crime scene photos. She told jurors that Czuba came after her first, then turned on her son, yelling that they had to leave because they were Muslim. Joseph Czuba stabbed the boy 26 times Czuba's ex-wife, Mary, testified that he had become increasingly angry about the war. Police said he pulled a knife from his belt and stabbed Wadee 26 times, leaving the knife in the boy's body. Some of the crime scene images were so graphic the judge turned the courtroom screens away from the audience, which included Wadee's family members. Jurors took less than 90 minutes to reach a verdict. Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR's Chicago office, said in a statement, 'This depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well.' Also Read: Mother of Palestinian American boy slain in suburban Chicago hate crime testifies at trial The murder shocked Plainfield and nearby suburbs, where many Palestinian families live. Wadee's funeral was heavily attended, and the town has since named a playground in his honor.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Man who murdered Palestinian American 6-year-old dies, officials say
Shaheen and Alfayoumi, a kindergartner, rented two rooms from Czuba in Plainfield, a suburb about 40 miles outside Chicago. In February, a jury found Czuba guilty of murder, hate crime and attempted murder charges for the attack. A state circuit court judge in May sentenced him to 53 years in prison. Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, Kevin Hedemark, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office, said in an email. Hedemark referred questions - including about the cause of Czuba's death - to state officials, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In the days before the attack, Czuba told Shaheen to move out because of her family's faith. On Oct. 14, 2023, Czuba entered the bedroom of Alfayoumi's mother, Hanaan Shaheen, and attacked her with a military-style knife, prosecutors said. While she locked herself in the bathroom waiting for help, Czuba then attacked Alfayoumi, stabbing him 26 times. Shaheen called 911, saying Czuba was killing her baby. Will County Sheriff's deputies found Alfayoumi on a bed with multiple stab wounds to his chest and the knife protruding from his torso. Czuba also stabbed Shaheen multiple times. Alfayoumi's grandfather previously told reporters no sentence would reconcile the loss his family will forever suffer. "It doesn't matter what the numbers are," Mahmoud Yousef said at the time. "He took a life from us. He took a future." Alfayoumi's murder took place a week after Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 250 others were taken hostage. Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians since the start of the war, according to Hamas-run health resources. In Gaza, about a quarter of the 2.1 million people in the Palestinian territory face famine-like conditions, with thousands suffering from acute malnutrition, according to the United Nations World Food Program. Deaths from starvation among children have been chronicled by the World Health Organization and doctors. Contributing: Chris Cannon, USA TODAY; Reuters
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Man who murdered Palestinian American 6-year-old boy dies in custody, officials say
Joseph Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office said. The Illinois landlord convicted for the murder of a Palestinian American 6-year-old boy died in custody, officials said. Joseph Czuba, 73, fatally stabbed the child, Wadee Alfayoumi, over two dozen times times days after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Prosecutors called the killing a hate-filled attack because he and his mother, Hanaan Shaheen, were Muslim. The murder came after Czuba and Shaheen spoke about the onset of the Middle East conflict. Shaheen and Alfayoumi, a kindergartner, rented two rooms from Czuba in Plainfield, a suburb about 40 miles outside Chicago. In February, a jury found Czuba guilty of murder, hate crime and attempted murder charges for the attack. A state circuit court judge in May sentenced him to 53 years in prison. Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, Kevin Hedemark, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office, said in an email. Hedemark referred questions − including about the cause of Czuba's death − to state officials, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In the days before the attack, Czuba told Shaheen to move out because of her family's faith. On Oct. 14, 2023, Czuba entered the bedroom of Alfayoumi's mother, Hanaan Shaheen, and attacked her with a military-style knife, prosecutors said. While she locked herself in the bathroom waiting for help, Czuba then attacked Alfayoumi, stabbing him 26 times. Shaheen called 911, saying Czuba was killing her baby. Will County Sheriff's deputies found Alfayoumi on a bed with multiple stab wounds to his chest and the knife protruding from his torso. Czuba also stabbed Shaheen multiple times. Alfayoumi's grandfather previously told reporters no sentence would reconcile the loss his family will forever suffer. 'It doesn't matter what the numbers are," Mahmoud Yousef said at the time. "He took a life from us. He took a future." Alfayoumi's murder took place a week after Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 250 others were taken hostage. Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians since the start of the war, according to Hamas-run health resources. In Gaza, about a quarter of the 2.1 million people in the Palestinian territory face famine-like conditions, with thousands suffering from acute malnutrition, according to the United Nations World Food Program. Deaths from starvation among children have been chronicled by the World Health Organization and doctors. Contributing: Chris Cannon, USA TODAY; Reuters
The Hill
4 days ago
- The Hill
Landlord convicted in hate crime killing of 6-year-old Muslim boy dies in custody
WILL COUNTY, Ill. (WGN) — The Illinois landlord convicted of killing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and injuring his mother in a brutal hate crime attack in October 2023 has died in custody just months after he was sentenced to more than 50 years in prison. 73-year-old Joseph Czuba died Thursday while in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, officials from the Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed Saturday. Earlier this year, Czuba was found guilty of killing 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and wounding his mother, Hanan Shaheen, after he attacked them over their Islamic faith. Czuba's death comes less than three months after a judge handed him a 53-year sentence for the deadly attack. Back in February, Czuba was convicted on murder and hate crimes charges. In court, prosecutors said the attack was a response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which had escalated greatly following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Czuba had been renting rooms to the pair in his home at the time of the attack. Evidence at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 call, along with bloody crime scene photos and police video. Jurors deliberated for less than 90 minutes before handing in a verdict. Authorities have not provided details on Czuba's cause of death.
