Illinois
Illinois jury announces verdict in killing of Palestinian American boy
A jury on Friday convicted an Illinois landlord in a 2023 stabbing that claimed the life of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy, Wadee Alfayoumi, and left his mother critically injured.
Joseph Czuba, 73, was emotionless after being found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of committing a hate crime, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
Alfayoumi’s mother, Hanaan Shahin, told police Czuba was upset about the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and ensuing war and attacked her and her son Oct. 14, after she asked him to “pray for peace.”
Wadee Alfayoumi’s father, Oday Alfayoumi, right, and his uncle, Mahmoud Yousef, attended a vigil for Wadee at the Prairie Activity and Recreation Center in Plainfield, Ill., Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
INFLUENCER WENT TO THE WEST BANK TO SEE IF PALESTINIANS SUPPORT HAMAS – HE ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
She was stabbed multiple times.
The war began just a week prior to the attack, on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel.
Prosecutors alleged Czuba stabbed his tenants of two years because they were Palestinian Americans, FOX 32 reported.
In a video shown in court Thursday, Czuba spoke with an officer about the attack inside a police car.
“I was afraid they were going to do Jihad on me,” Czuba said.
Oday Alfayoumi and others carry the casket of his son, Wadee Alfayoumi, at Parkholm Cemetery in La Grange Park, Ill., Oct. 16, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Footage was also captured of Czuba saying Shahin didn’t tell him she was Muslim and comparing the Palestinian Liberation Organization to Nazis, according to the report.
WATCH: PRO-ISRAEL INFLUENCER RECOVERS WEST BANK INTERVIEW WITH PALESTINIAN WOMAN HE WAS THREATENED TO DELETE
Even though there were no previous issues with Shahin and her son, Czuba’s wife testified he became withdrawn and angry after watching news coverage of the Hamas attack and asked the family to move out, FOX 32 reported.
According to the report, Shahin told the court Czuba said, “You, as a Muslim, must die,” while he attacked her with the knife.
She locked herself in the bathroom and called 911, then heard her son screaming in another room, according to FOX 32.
Protesters take part in the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine March in Chicago Aug. 21, 2024. (Fox News Digital)
The 15-minute phone call was played in court, and Shahin said her son could be heard screaming in the background.
Prosecutors said blood and DNA evidence was found on the knife, which was left in the boy’s body, according to the report.
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State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, the first Palestinian American to serve in the state Legislature, released a statement describing the case as “gut-wrenching.”
“My heart goes out to the family of Wadee Alfayoumi today,” Rashid said. “The jury was right to find Joseph Czuba guilty on all charges, including murder and hate crimes.”
FOX 32 Chicago and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Illinois
Illinois Court of Claims goes digital with e-filing and remote hearings
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has announced a significant modernization initiative for the Illinois Court of Claims, introducing electronic filing options and remote hearings. This transition replaces the outdated paper-based system, which often delayed case processing and complicated access for claimants. “For too long, the state’s Court of Claims has been forced to rely on outdated, paper-driven processes that made filing a claim slower and more complicated,” Giannoulias said. “By making this a fully digital process, we’re making government more accessible, more transparent and more efficient for the people it serves.”
Starting today, all filings with the Court of Claims will be submitted through a new online e-filing portal. Users can create an account, follow step-by-step instructions, and submit their claims directly through the system. Training videos will be available to assist first-time users. The digital platform allows Illinoisans to manage their claims conveniently, track updates instantly, and receive real-time notifications as their case progresses. It also eliminates the need for mailing multiple paper copies and reduces administrative processing times.
The modernization initiative aligns with broader technology upgrades across the Secretary of State’s office and the Illinois court system. Enabled by HB 1576, sponsored by State Rep. Terra Costa Howard and State Sen. Michael Halpin, the measure authorizes remote hearings and allows the public to file claims, submit evidence, and pay fees online. The Illinois Court of Claims serves as the venue for individuals seeking financial compensation from the state in cases involving state responsibility, including injuries, property damage, and wrongful imprisonment. Improving access and efficiency is crucial for Illinoisans navigating these complex circumstances. Claimants with questions can contact the Court of Claims Clerk’s Office at ClerkofCoC@ilsos.gov or (217) 782-7101.
Illinois
‘Home Alone’ house being restored to mirror iconic Christmas movie
Sunday, December 14, 2025 6:16PM
WINNETKA, Ill. (WLS) — “Home Alone” is one of the most popular Christmas movies of all time.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The holiday classic debuted 35 years ago. Now, the iconic house featured in the film is in the spotlight, again.
It underwent an interior renovation and was sold earlier this year.
Now, ABC7 learned that it will be transformed back to the way it looked in 1990, when film audiences got to peek inside it for the first time.
John Abendshien is the former owner of the Winnetka house. He has fond memories of the days spent filming the movie.
READ MORE | Original owner of ‘Home Alone’ house writes memoir about iconic movie
Abendshien said he and his family stayed and watched while the movie was being shot.
He has written a memoir called “Home but Alone No More.”
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Illinois
Person of interest in deadly Cicero, Illinois stabbing apprehended after long pursuit
A suspect in a deadly stabbing was apprehended early Sunday morning following a pursuit from Cicero that ended up on Chicago’s Far South Side.
Around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Cicero police were called after Ubano Diaz, 73, was tsabbed in the 3200 block of South 54th Court in the west Chicago suburb. Diaz was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died, Cicero police said.
Police immediately identified a person of interest, who was found driving out of the town. They launched a pursuit as the suspect headed northeast on the Stevenson Expressway.
At 1:21 a.m. Sunday, Illinois State Police were called in to assist Cicero police with the pursuit as the suspect cruised up the Stevenson Expressway at California Avenue.
The pursuit kept going along the Stevenson and Dan Ryan expressways before finally ending at 119th Street and Vincennes Avenue west of I-57 in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood.
The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody at that point, Cicero and Illinois State Police said.
There were no crashes or injuries during the pursuit.
Police believe the stabbing was an isolated incident, and there was no threat to the public.
State police did not specify the route of the pursuit.
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