Illinois man jailed in post-Oct. 7 killing of Palestinian American boy has died

JOLIET, Ill. — An Illinois landlord who was sentenced to 53 years in jail for a knife attack that killed a Palestinian American boy and wounded his mother has died.

Joseph Czuba, 73, was sentenced three months ago after being 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.

Czuba said he targeted them in October 2023 because of their Islamic faith and as a response to Hamas’ attack on Israel days earlier.

Czuba died Thursday in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing the Will County Sheriff’s Office. The law enforcement agency did not return a call seeking comment on the death.

Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago office, said in a statement 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 from Chicago, when he attacked them.

Central to prosecutors’ case was 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 video. Czuba’s wife, Mary, whom he has since divorced, also testified for the prosecution, saying he had become agitated about the Israel-Hamas war.

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 crime scene photos were so gruesome 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, home to a large, established Palestinian community. Wadee’s funeral drew large crowds, and Plainfield officials have dedicated a park playground in his honor.