Newsweek: Joseph Czuba Murder Trial Begins Today in Illinois: What to Know
Wadee Alfayoumi's father, Oday Al-Fayoume, seated right, and his uncle Mahmoud Yousef at a vigil inside Prairie Activity and Recreation center in Plainfield, Illinois, on October 17, 2023. Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo
By Daniel Orton
A trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday for a suburban Chicago landlord accused of murder, attempted murder and a hate crime in an October 2023 attack on a Palestinian American woman and her son.
The case, which has drawn national attention, comes amid rising concerns over anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S.
Joseph Czuba, 73, faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the attempted murder of the boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen. Authorities allege that Czuba targeted the family because of their Islamic faith and that his actions were influenced by the Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023.
The Context
Shaheen and Alfayoumi had lived on the ground floor of a house in Plainfield Township, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, for two years. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), prior to the attack, they had no previous issues with Czuba, their landlord.
Czuba, said to be enraged about the war, allegedly knocked on his tenants' door and attacked Shaheen when she opened it. "He tried to choke her and proceeded to attack her with a knife while yelling 'you Muslims must die,'" CAIR-Chicago said in a statement.
Shaheen ran into a bathroom and continued to fight him off, the Will County Sheriff's Office reported.
Czuba was found "sitting upright outside on the ground near the driveway of the residence" with a cut on his forehead, authorities said.
Hundreds attended Alfayoumi's Janazah, or funeral service, where he was remembered as a kind child with a love for sports and Legos.
The attack heightened fears within the Chicago area's Palestinian and Muslim communities about rising discrimination and violence.
What To Know
Czuba has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and other charges. George Lenard, his defense attorney, declined to comment ahead of the trial's conclusion.
Prosecutors allege that Czuba became increasingly paranoid about the war after listening to conservative talk radio. According to police reports, Shaheen said Czuba was upset over the war and attacked them after she had urged him to "pray for peace."
Alfayoumi, whose name was initially reported as Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times. His mother suffered more than a dozen stab wounds and took weeks to recover from her injuries.
The indictment against Czuba described the boy's death as a result of "exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior." Prosecutors argue that Czuba remains a danger to Shaheen and others, leading to his continued detention.
What People Are Saying
Joe Milburn, a staff attorney for CAIR-Chicago, said on Monday: "We firmly pray and hope that Mr. Czuba will be locked up for the rest of his life, so we can send a message that hate crimes against anyone on the basis of their religion and national origin are not tolerated."
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in October 2023: "This wasn't just a murder—it was a hate crime. And every single Illinoisan—including our Muslim, Jewish, and Palestinian neighbors—deserves to live free from the threat of such evil."
What Happens Next
Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday morning, and the trial is expected to last about a week.
A wrongful death lawsuit has also been filed by the boy's father, who is divorced from Shaheen and did not live at the home.
This article contains reporting from the Associated Press.