US man gets 53 years for hate crime murder of 6-year-old Palestinian-American

Joseph Czuba, a 73-year-old Illinois landlord, was sentenced on May 2, 2025, to 53 years in prison for the brutal murder of 6-year-old Palestinian-American Wadee Alfayoumi and the attempted murder of his mother, Hanan Shaheen.

The attack, deemed a hate crime by prosecutors, shocked the nation and highlighted rising Islamophobia amid the 'Israeli' aggression on Gaza.

The incident occurred on October 14, 2023, in a Chicago suburb, just days after 'Israel' began its genocide on Gaza. Czuba, who had rented rooms to Shaheen for two years without issue, stabbed Wadee 26 times and Shaheen over a dozen times in their home.

Prosecutors said Czuba’s actions were fueled by anti-Muslim hatred, triggered by radio coverage of the Middle East conflict. Shaheen testified that Czuba shouted, “You Muslims must die,” during the assault, which left her critically injured and Wadee dead.

The jury convicted Czuba in February 2025 of first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, and hate crime charges after deliberating for less than two hours. At the sentencing, Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak called the attack “brutal and heinous,” imposing 30 years for Wadee’s murder, 20 years for the attack on Shaheen, and 3 years for hate crimes, to be served consecutively. Given Czuba’s age, the sentence ensures he will likely die in prison.

Wadee’s great-uncle, Mahmoud Yousef, spoke at the sentencing, expressing the family’s profound loss: “It doesn’t matter what numbers are. He took a life from us. He took a future.” Wadee’s father, Odai Alfayoumi, questioned how Czuba, who once seemed fond of his son, could commit such an act, reflecting on the confusion caused by hateful rhetoric.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the sentence, with executive director Ahmed Rehab stating, “No sentence can restore what was taken, but today’s outcome delivers a necessary measure of justice.”

The murder sent shockwaves through the Palestinian community, renewing fears of anti-Muslim discrimination. Wadee’s funeral drew massive crowds, and local officials dedicated a park playground in his honor. The US Department of Justice also launched a federal hate crimes investigation into the case.

Czuba, who did not speak at the sentencing, has a court appearance scheduled for May 7, 2025, as his defense seeks to reconsider the sentencing, arguing he did not receive a fair trial. However, the swift conviction and severe sentence underscore a broader societal rejection of hate-fueled violence.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee emphasized the need to combat anti-Palestinian rhetoric, stating, “We must come together to ensure that tragedies fueled by hate are never accepted as the norm.”