Joseph Czuba, landlord jailed for decades in hate-crime attack on Palestinian American family, has died

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Landlord jailed for decades in hate-crime attack on Palestinian American family has died

Updated 6:34 PM EDT, July 26, 2025

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A landlord jailed for decades after he attacked a Palestinian American boy and his mother has died.

Three months ago, Joseph Czuba was sentenced to 53 years behind bars for the attack. He was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of the boy’s mother, Hanan Shaheen.

The 73-year-old Czuba targeted them in October 2023 because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which started days earlier.

Czuba died Thursday in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to a statement from the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-hate-crime-chicago-joseph-czuba-88344cd3643902ee2938366e7f190d81