Murder of Wadea al-Fayoume

According to the Will County Sheriff's Office, at around 11:30 a.m. on October 14, 2023, the landlord Joseph Czuba knocked on the door of 32-year-old Hanaan Shahin's home. Shahin told detectives that Czuba came to her door, angry with her about what was happening in Jerusalem. After Shahin responded, "let's give peace a chance", Czuba attacked her with a military knife. Shahin scratched him, ran to the bathroom and called 9-1-1. When she came out, she found her six-year-old son Wadea al-Fayoume wounded with multiple stab wounds. Al-Fayoume and Shahin were transported to a hospital, where al-Fayoume was pronounced dead and Shahin was treated in critical condition. Law enforcement officers who arrived at the scene found Czuba sitting outside Shahin's home with a cut on his face. ==Perpetrator==

Authorities said that the attack was motivated by anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian extremism following the escalation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in October 2023. Czuba's wife said that her husband regularly listened to conservative talk radio == Legal proceedings ==

Criminal charges Prosecutors charged Czuba with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and two counts of hate crimes. The FBI announced a separate hate crime investigation the following day. Czuba's trial began on February 24, 2025 in Will County, with jury selection taking place; he was represented by public defender George D. Lenard. The prosecution submitted crime scene evidence on February 26, which included photos of al-Fayoume's body bag, a black knife holder and police body camera footage. The court also heard testimony from Czuba's former wife Mary Connor, police officers, firefighters and medical workers including Plainfield firefighter and paramedic Brandon Vainowski and a physician's assistant with the pseudonym "Sally Smith." Czuba waived his right to testify on February 27, and both prosecution and defense rested their cases that same day. On February 28, closing arguments were delivered, and after less than 90 minutes of deliberations, the jury convicted Czuba on all charges. On May 2, Czuba was sentenced to 53 years in prison, 30 years for first degree murder, 20 years for attempted first degree murder, and three years for the hate crimes. Civil lawsuits A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on November 21, 2023, by Al-Fayoume's father against Czuba, his wife and their management company, claiming they "were indifferent and failed to recognize a threat and prevent serious bodily harm". A hearing for the court case was set for March 11, 2024. ==Aftermath==

A vigil for al-Fayoume was held shortly after his death at a local basketball court in Plainfield to mark his love for the sport. His father spoke to the crowd, calling his son an "All-American boy" who was always smiling and full of love, with other friends and family members speaking. The highest-ranking Muslim in the Biden administration, Dilawar Syed, also attended and spoke on behalf of the president. A fundraiser was organized through LaunchGood to help cover funeral and medical expenses for al-Fayoume and his mother. A portion of the fundraiser would be sectioned off to provide safe and secure housing for Shahin, and another portion will be used to establish a charity in al-Fayoume's name. Shahin spent weeks recovering from her stab wounds. The funeral for al-Fayoume drew a large crowd. Officials in Plainfield named a local park playground after al-Fayoume. A memorial was unveiled on June 28, 2025. On July 24, 2025, Czuba died in prison at the age of 73. His cause of death has not been determined, but prior to his death, he had stage 4 cancer. ==Reactions==

The attack prompted many public statements and condemnations, including from Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, as well as the St. Mary Immaculate Parish of Plainfield, where the accused and his wife are parishioners, also made public statements condemning the event. Rabbi Rosen of Tzedek Chicago denounced the killing and expressed concern that the attack stemmed from the continued dehumanization of Palestinians and Muslims. Similar comments were echoed by a volunteer with Chicago's Jewish Voices for Peace who cautioned the continuation of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The attack, along with increasing violent threats, ==See also==