A man accused of fatally stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train in August 2025 has been deemed incapable of standing trial, according to reports. Zarutska had fled Ukraine with her family after the Russian invasion and later settled in North Carolina with relatives, after spending months living in a bomb shelter.
On the night of August 22, Zarutska boarded a late-night Blue Line train near Scaleybark station. Surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Decarlos Brown, sitting behind her before suddenly attacking her with a knife. Despite efforts from passengers to help, she died from her injuries on the train. Brown was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Recent legal developments reveal that Brown has been evaluated and found unfit to proceed with the trial. A report from late December concluded he is not capable of facing charges at this time, though a judge has yet to make a final decision. His public defender has requested a 180-day delay in proceedings while the court considers next steps, including whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty.