Illinois Hate Crime Landlord Dies in Prison

Joseph Czuba, the 73-year-old Plainfield, Illinois landlord convicted of the hate-crime murder of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadee Alfayoumi and attempted murder of the boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen, has died in state prison less than three months after being sentenced to 53 years. The October 2023 attack left Alfayoumi dead from 26 stab wounds and Shaheen seriously injured, and was motivated by anti-Muslim hate triggered by the Israel-Hamas war. The case drew national attention, reigniting fears about growing Islamophobia in the U.S., with thousands attending the child's funeral and Shaheen meeting President Biden to discuss anti-Muslim discrimination. Evidence at trial included Shaheen's testimony, a frantic 911 call, and explicit crime scene photos. The cause of Czuba's death has not been disclosed. Community leaders, including CAIR-Chicago, emphasized that the underlying hate continues despite Czuba's death.