During the trial, which commenced on February 25, 2025, prosecutors detailed how Czuba allegedly stabbed six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi 26 times after first attacking his mother, Hanan Shaheen, who sustained over a dozen stab wounds.

Shaheen testified that during the assault, Czuba threatened her life, stating, 'You, as a Muslim, must die,' highlighting the hate-driven nature of the attack.

Crucial evidence for the trial includes 911 calls and police videos from the crime scene, which are expected to illustrate the horror of the attack.

Despite being divorced from Shaheen and not residing with her, Wadee's father has initiated a wrongful death lawsuit related to the incident.

Czuba remains in custody due to concerns that he poses a danger to Shaheen and others, with the indictment describing the murder as resulting from 'exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.'

Wadee's funeral drew hundreds of attendees, who remembered him as a kind child with a passion for sports and Legos, while his father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Czuba.

Witnesses described the emotional toll the crime scene had on law enforcement officers, who were visibly shaken upon discovering Wadee's body.

The incident has raised significant concerns about anti-Muslim discrimination within the Chicago area’s Palestinian community, which is both well-established and sizable.

Joe Milburn from the Council on American-Islamic Relations emphasized the importance of sending a strong message against hate crimes based on religion and nationality, advocating for a life sentence for Czuba.

Joseph Czuba, a 73-year-old landlord from Joliet, Illinois, is facing multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder, stemming from a violent attack on October 14, 2023, that authorities allege was motivated by the victims' Islamic faith amidst rising tensions due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Witness reports indicate that Czuba's increasingly paranoid behavior, influenced by conservative talk radio commentary regarding the Israel-Hamas war, contributed to the violent attack that occurred after Shaheen encouraged him to pray for peace.