An Illinois man has been convicted on murder and hate crimes charges relating to the 2023 fatal stabbing of Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy and wounding his mother, Hanan Shaheen.
After an hour of deliberation, a jury convicted Joseph Czuba, 73, of first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and hate crimes in the Oct. 14, 2023 attack, according to NBC News.
The mother and son were renting rooms from Czuba at the time of the attack.
At trial, Shaheen testified that Czuba was aware that she is Muslim and of Palestinian descent before he and his now ex-wife agreed to rent the rooms to her, and that she didn’t previously have any issues in the two years she rented from them.
Shaheen told the jury that Czuba turned on her after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Czuba’s ex-wife, who testified for the prosecution, said her husband became withdrawn and paranoid after the attack and told her that Shaheen should move out immediately “because her friends could come and do us harm.”
Czuba’s ex-wife said she disagreed because she considered Shaheen a friend and a good tenant. Also, she told Czuba that they should adhere to the terms of Shaheen’s lease, and give her 30 days notice to move, and reminded him that Shaheen had never had a guest in the home.
Despite pushback from his then-wife, Shaheen testified Tuesday that Czuba told her that Muslims are not welcomed in his home and that she needed to move out because “your people” are killing Jewish people and babies in Israel.
Days later, Czuba forced his way into her apartment with a military style knife, held her down and stabbed her as Wadee watched. She fought back and was able to get ahold of the knife and stabbed him before he got back the weapon.
Shaheen said when she ran to the bathroom to call 911, Czuba turned on Wadee, who had just celebrated his birthday days before. He stabbed the child 26 times. The knife was reportedly still lodged in the child’s body when first responders arrived on the scene.
Wadee was transported to the hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead. Shaheen was stabbed more than a dozen times and was transported to the hospital in serious condition. She received 19 stitches on her face, as well as staples on the back of her head.
Czuba later compared Wadee and Shaheen to “infested rats” during a conversation with a sheriff’s deputy, which was also played at the trial.
Jurors also heard the 911 calls from Shaheen, and heard the Wadee’s screams from another room as she told dispatchers, “He’s killing my baby. He’s killing me and my baby. Please. The landlord is killing me and my baby.”
