Update 
04/08/2026

Man Accused of Stabbing Iryna Zarutska Aboard a North Carolina Light Rail Train Declared Unfit to Stand Trial by Doctors

The homeless man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a North Carolina light rail train has reportedly been declared mentally unfit to stand trial.

According to a motion filed on April 7 by the attorneys for the suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of stabbing Iryna Zarutska aboard a North Carolina train, a state psychiatric facility indicated in a December 2025 report that Brown was "unfit to stand trial." The case cannot proceed until a judge determines that Brown's mental capacity has been "restored."

Brown was arrested on Friday, August 22, 2025, after allegedly fatally stabbing 23-year-old Zarutska on a Lynx Blue Line train in Charlotte. The artist had emigrated from Kyiv to the United States with her mother, sister, and brother "to escape the war, and quickly adapted to her new life in America." Her family decided to bury Zarutska in the United States because she "loved America."

At 9:55 p.m., Zarutska was captured on video sitting in an aisle seat, directly in front of a man who "pulled a knife from his pocket, unfolded it, paused, stood up, and attacked the victim three times."

The video shows blood dripping onto the floor as the accused walks away from the victim. Zarutska lost consciousness shortly after the attack and was later pronounced dead at the scene. A witness provided authorities with Brown's location.

Brown was initially charged on August 28, 2025, with first-degree murder in connection with the brazen attack.

Subsequently, Brown was charged with a federal crime: committing an act resulting in death on a public transportation system, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Consequently, the prosecution is seeking the death penalty. Brown's public defender will request a hearing within 180 days to determine whether the death penalty will be sought.

Brown has a criminal record dating back to 2007. In 2014, he was arrested on charges of armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was convicted and served just over five years in prison before being released on parole in September 2020.

His most recent arrest before Zarutska's murder was in January 2025, when he was arrested for alleged misuse of 911. He spent two days in jail before being released on a written promise to appear in court. On July 28, a judge ordered Brown to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after his public defender questioned his mental capacity in a motion.

El Hombre Acusado de Apuñalar a un Refugiada Ucraniana de 23 Años en un Tren de Carolina del Norte fue Declarado Incompetente

Actualización
04/08/2026

Man Accused of Stabbing Iryna Zarutska on North Carolina Light Rail Declared Unfit to Stand Trial by Doctors

The homeless man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a North Carolina light rail train has reportedly been declared mentally unfit to stand trial.

According to a motion filed on April 7 by attorneys for the suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of stabbing Iryna Zarutska on a North Carolina train, a state psychiatric facility indicated in a December 2025 report that Brown was "unfit to stand trial." The case cannot proceed until a judge determines that Brown's mental capacity has been "restored."

Brown was arrested on Friday, August 22, 2025, after allegedly fatally stabbing 23-year-old Zarutska on a Lynx Blue Line train in Charlotte. The artist had emigrated from Kyiv to the United States with her mother, sister, and brother "to escape the war, and quickly adapted to her new life in America." Her family decided to bury Zarutska in the United States because she "loved America."

At 9:55 p.m., Zarutska was captured on video sitting in an aisle seat, directly in front of a man who "pulled a knife from his pocket, unfolded it, paused, stood up, and attacked the victim three times."

The video shows blood dripping onto the floor as the accused walks away from the victim. Zarutska lost consciousness shortly after the attack and was later pronounced dead at the scene. A witness provided authorities with Brown's location.

Brown was initially charged on August 28, 2025, with first-degree murder in connection with the brazen attack.

Subsequently, Brown was charged with a federal crime: committing an act resulting in death on a public transportation system, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Consequently, the prosecution is seeking the death penalty. Brown's public defender will request a hearing within 180 days to determine whether the death penalty will be sought.

Brown has a criminal record dating back to 2007. In 2014, he was arrested on charges of armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was convicted and served just over five years in prison before being released on parole in September 2020.

His most recent arrest before Zarutska's murder was in January 2025, when he was arrested for alleged misuse of 911. He spent two days in jail before being released on a written promise to appear in court. On July 28, a judge ordered Brown to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after his public defender questioned his mental capacity in a motion.