Illinois Man Convicted in Stabbing Death of Palestinian American Boy Dies in Prison
By USA NEWS TODAY| July 26, 2025
Joseph M. Czuba, the 73-year-old Illinois man convicted earlier this year for the brutal killing of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadee Alfayoumi, has died in prison just two months after being sentenced to 53 years. Authorities confirmed his death on Saturday but did not disclose the cause or specific circumstances.
Czuba had been found guilty of first-degree murder and a hate crime for the October 2023 attack, which also left the boy’s mother, Hanan Shaheen, seriously injured. The incident occurred in Plainfield Township, a suburb of Chicago, and was widely condemned as an act driven by anti-Muslim hatred.
The attack came just days after the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel, amid rising tensions and inflammatory rhetoric in the media. According to prosecutors, Czuba—who had rented rooms to Ms. Shaheen and her son for two years—became increasingly erratic and paranoid after consuming war coverage. He reportedly began making hateful comments and eventually demanded that they leave the home.
On the day of the crime, Czuba forced his way into their living space, stabbing Ms. Shaheen more than a dozen times. She managed to escape and call 911. From the bathroom, she heard her son screaming before falling silent. Wadee was later pronounced dead at a hospital, having suffered more than 20 stab wounds.
The case drew widespread national and international outrage, particularly within Chicago's Palestinian and Muslim communities. Many saw the attack as a tragic result of dehumanizing discourse targeting Arabs and Muslims in the aftermath of the Middle East violence.
At trial, Ms. Shaheen testified that Czuba had never shown any issues until October 2023, when his behavior changed dramatically. During sentencing, Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak called the attack “brutal and heinous.”
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), responded to the news of Czuba’s death by stating:
“This depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well. It’s the hate that must die.”
Czuba showed no emotion throughout his trial and remained silent during his sentencing.
The murder of Wadee Alfayoumi left a lasting impact. A kindergartener who loved soccer and Legos, his life was cut tragically short in an act of violence that underscored the deadly consequences of bigotry and fear.
