JOLIET, Ill. — A jury found an Illinois landlord guilty of murder and hate crime charges Friday for a brutal 2023 attack on a Palestinian American family that killed a 6-year-old. Joseph Czuba, 73, was charged in the fatal stabbing of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023 […]
A jury in Illinois found a landlord guilty of murder and hate crimes for a 2023 attack on a Palestinian American family, which resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy. The defendant, identified as Czuba, allegedly used a knife during the attack. The trial highlighted anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiment, with the verdict renewing concerns about hate crimes in the Chicago area. The defendant faced additional charges, including attempted murder and hate crimes, and the case gained international attention amid rising tensions against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. following Hamas' attacks on Israel. Civil lawsuits have been filed, and federal hate crime investigations are ongoing.
