Illinois landlord gets 53 years for fatally stabbing Palestinian-American child

Joseph Czuba was convicted for targeting the child and his mother over their Muslim faith shortly after the start of the Israel-Gaza war.

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Joseph Czuba, 73, was convicted in February for murder and hate crimes for the death of Wadee Alfayoumi, and the wounding of his mother Hanan Shaheen in 2023 shortly after the start of the Israel-Gaza war.

The family had been tenants in Czuba's home in Plainfield, roughly 64 km (40 miles) from Chicago. Prosecutors said he targeted them over their Muslim faith.

Czuba had pleaded not guilty, but jurors convicted him after deliberating for less than 90 minutes.

Wadee Alfayoumi's great uncle, Mahmoud Yousef, told the court on Friday that no sentence was going to "justify" the boy's death, according to NBC News.