Illinois Man Imprisoned For Hate Crime Attack That Killed Palestinian American Boy Has Died

JOLIET, In poor health. (AP) — A landlord sentenced to a long time in jail after he killed a Palestinian American boy and wounded his mom has died.

Three months in the past, Joseph Czuba was sentenced to 53 years behind bars for the assault. He was discovered responsible in February of homicide, tried homicide and hate-crime costs within the loss of life of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of the boy’s mom, Hanan Shaheen.

The 73-year-old Czuba focused them in October 2023 due to their Islamic religion and as a response to the warfare between Israel and Hamas, which began days earlier.

Czuba died Thursday within the custody of the Illinois Division of Corrections, in keeping with an announcement from the Will County Sheriff’s Workplace.

Ahmed Rehab, the chief director of Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago workplace, stated in an announcement on Saturday that “this wicked killer has died, however the hate remains to be alive and properly.”

Proof at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 name, together with bloody crime scene pictures and police video. Jurors deliberated lower than 90 minutes earlier than handing in a verdict.

The household had been renting rooms in Czuba’s house in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago when the assault occurred.

Central to prosecutors’ case was harrowing testimony from the boy’s mom, who stated Czuba attacked her earlier than transferring on to her son, insisting they needed to depart as a result of they have been Muslim. Prosecutors additionally performed the 911 name and confirmed police footage. Czuba’s spouse, Mary, whom he has since divorced, additionally testified for the prosecution, saying he had turn out to be agitated in regards to the Israel-Hamas war, which had erupted days earlier.

Police stated Czuba pulled a knife from a holder on a belt and stabbed the boy 26 instances, leaving the knife within the little one’s physique. A number of the bloody crime scene pictures have been so express that the choose agreed to show tv screens displaying them away from the viewers, which included Wadee’s family members.

The assault renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination and hit significantly onerous in Plainfield and surrounding suburbs, which have a big and established Palestinian group. Wadee’s funeral drew giant crowds, and Plainfield officers have devoted a park playground in his honor.