Joseph Czuba, the 73-year-old Illinois landlord convicted of a brutal hate crime that killed 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadee Alfayoumi and injured the boy’s mother, Hanan Shaheen, has died in prison.

Czuba was sentenced to 53 years in March after being found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and hate crime charges.

He attacked the family in October 2023, blaming them for the Israel-Hamas war due to their Muslim faith, The Guardian has reported.

The case drew national attention amid rising anti-Muslim sentiment. Czuba died Thursday while in state custody; officials have not released the cause of death.

Written by B.C. Begley