Plainfield Township hate crime murder case delayed by fed investigation

A Will County case involving the Plainfield Township slaying of a Muslim child was met with further delays because federal authorities have yet to complete their investigation into the incident.

On Thursday, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Fitzgerald told Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak that the federal investigation of Joseph Czuba, 72, of Plainfield, remains ongoing and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has yet to make a charging decision.

Because of that, Fitzgerald said his office has yet to access the discovery from federal authorities that has been requested by Czuba’s attorney, George Lenard. He is seeking those records for Czuba’s defense and mental evaluation by a psychiatrist.

Czuba is charged with the Oct. 14 first-degree murder of Wadee Alfayoumi, 6, and the attempted murder of the child’s mother, Hanan Shaheen. Czuba also is charged with committing a hate crime against the mother and child on the basis of their Islamic faith.

Bertani-Tomczak asked Fitzgerald whether federal authorities gave him a timeframe about when the investigation would conclude.

“They did not,” Fitzgerald said.

Lenard said he can’t move forward in the case until he receives the discovery from the federal investigation.

Bertani-Tomczak scheduled Czuba’s case for another status hearing on May 15.

The investigation into the killing of Wadee and attempted murder of his mother by the Will County Sheriff’s Office has already led to charges filed by Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office.

However, U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland announced shortly after the incident last year that the U.S. Department of Justice would conduct its own investigation.

“This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence. The Department of Justice is focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in this country,” Garland said in a statement.

While U.S. President Joe Biden condemned Wadee’s killing, he’s faced backlash from Arab-Americans and progressives for his support of Israel’s war in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel, according to a report from the Associated Press. The AP reported on Tuesday that Biden’s top Senate allies are “demanding that the U.S. act directly to ease Palestinian civilian suffering in Gaza.”