Will Co. Sheriff's Office: 'Justice Was Served For These Heinous Acts'

JOLIET — On Friday morning, one of Joliet's most respected criminal lawyers, George Lenard, argued before the jury that his client Joseph Czuba, was an innocent man, and that the jury must find Czuba not guilty of all counts, including first-degree murder and hate crime offenses.

After one hour of deliberations, the jury notified Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak they had come to unanimous decisions on all the criminal charges against the Plainfield Township landlord. While Lenard suggested that Czuba's tenant from Jerusalem, Hanan Shaheen, was responsible for the brutal slaying of her 6-year-old son, Wadee Alfayoumi, the jury rejected that theory, just as prosecutor Christine Vukmir urged them to do. Shaheen was also seriously injured in the attack.

The shocking hate crime that drew worldwide attention, including remarks from then-U.S. President Joe Biden, drew guilty verdicts Friday for Czuba, who learned he will be sentenced in May.

The Will County Sheriff's Office spearheaded the investigation into Wadee's murder.

"The Will County Sheriff's Office is extremely happy with today's verdict," Will County Chief Deputy Dan Jungles, who is running for sheriff in the 2026 Democratic primary, told Joliet Patch. "This particular case will have lasting effects on the many first responders that were dispatched to this horrific crime.

"It is now time to come together to heal and speak out against hate," Jungles continued. "I have been in contact with Hanan Shaheen, and my heart goes out her and Wadee's family during this very emotional time.

"This was a clear-cut case of hate and rage taking over the mind of a man with misguided ideology. I am extremely proud of each and every deputy, officer, detective and supervisor that helped to ensure that this investigation was a 'slam dunk' case. Anyone that suggests otherwise, is just grasping at straws or misguided or misinformed."

Jungles said he wanted to thank the Plainfield Police Department, all responding members of the Will County Sheriff's Office, members of Will County's Social Service Unit and the Will County State's Attorney's Office for all their "hard work, dedication and determination in ensuring that justice was served for these heinous acts."

At Friday at the press conference in the Will County Courthouse, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said that “justice has been done” following the conviction of the Plainfield landlord on all counts.

At that news conference, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said in part:

"All the way up to the President of the United States at the time, President Biden—there was culpability. When the president came out and reiterated unfounded claims that 40 babies were decapitated, that they were basically beheaded by Palestinians—this was part of the radicalization process of Joseph Czuba. That's what he was reacting to, these unfounded claims... The way that the media covered the conflict, showing only one side of what was happening, and not at all showing the humanity, suffering, and the reality of the Gazans on the ground who were losing life, limb, property, infrastructure, houses, by the tens of thousands."

CAIR-Chicago said it plans to be present for the May 2 sentencing.

Following Friday’s conviction of Joseph Czuba for fatally stabbing Wadee and seriously wounding his mother, state Representative Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, also issued the following statement to the press:

"Nothing can bring back the innocent child who was so brutally ripped from his family more than a year ago–or make up for the terrible injuries suffered by his mother. But today, I'm thankful that justice has finally been done, and that it was done as swiftly as it was. My heart goes out to Wadee's family and to those who loved him. Hate has no home in Illinois, and it's up to all of us to continue working together for peace."