A few days later, Shaheen recounted the harrowing experience of Czuba breaking into her room, restraining her, stabbing her with a knife, and attempting to damage her teeth while her son, Wadee, witnessed the terrifying ordeal from a corner of the room. She managed to momentarily grab the knife and strike Czuba before he wrestled it from her grasp. Shaheen described how, when she rushed to the bathroom to call 911, Czuba turned his aggression toward Wadee, who had just celebrated his birthday. Wadee’s body was discovered with a knife still embedded in it when emergency responders arrived at the scene. Shaheen herself was left with 19 stitches on her face and staples in the back of her head after the brutal attack. The tragic loss of Wadee and the assault on Shaheen garnered international attention and instilled fear within Illinois’ substantial Muslim and Palestinian communities. Many individuals in these communities condemned the language used by public figures and some media outlets, which they felt dehumanized Muslims and Palestinians. Czuba chose not to testify during his trial. Prosecutors revealed that he had developed an unhealthy fixation on the conflict in the Middle East. In court documents, it was stated that Czuba feared that the war overseas would reach his doorstep. Prosecutor Michael Fitzgerald emphasized to the jury that the incident occurred due to Czuba’s fear of the war and the victims’ religious beliefs. Despite the portrayal of Shaheen as a friend and good tenant by witnesses, Czuba’s paranoia led him to demand her eviction following the outbreak of war, citing safety concerns. However, his wife of 30 years, Connor, opposed this decision and suggested following the terms of Shaheen’s lease agreement. Disagreements regarding Shaheen’s tenancy and Czuba’s withdrawn behavior post-war fueled tensions in their household. Testimonies and evidence presented during the trial shed light on Czuba’s deteriorating mental state and his extremist views. The prosecution painted a picture of Czuba likening the victims to vermin that needed to be eradicated. Defense attorney George Lenard attempted to challenge the rush to judgment in Czuba’s case and raised doubts about key aspects of the prosecution’s narrative.
and indicated she may have a financial stake in the case, a matter he sought to address during his cross-examination. Shaheen has brought a wrongful death lawsuit against Czuba and his former spouse, which is currently awaiting resolution. “You’re being fed a half-baked case by the prosecution,” he asserted, urging the jury to bravely consider finding Czuba not guilty. Prosecutor Christine Vukmir countered his argument, dismissing the notion that Shaheen stabbed Wadee and then framed Czuba as “absurd.” “This is the narrative he’s trying to sell you,” she informed the jurors. “It’s preposterous.” When deputies arrived at the residence, they discovered Czuba on the ground outside. Throughout the trial, jurors listened to testimonies from law enforcement officials, firefighters, and other emergency responders, in addition to a physician assistant who provided care to Shaheen at a medical facility. They also listened to Shaheen’s distress call to emergency services, during which Wadee’s screams were audible as she repeatedly pleaded, “He’s harming my child.” A Will County sheriff’s deputy who found Wadee’s body became emotional while testifying, and jurors viewed distressing footage from her body camera. The graphic nature of some of the content prompted one of Czuba’s lawyers to request that the large courtroom television screen be turned away from the audience, allowing only the jurors to view it. Selina Guevara reported from Joliet, Illinois, and Janelle Griffith reported from New York.
