Suspect Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, has been charged with murder over the unprovoked attack on 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska
The boyfriend of a young Ukrainian refugee murdered on a Charlotte light rail train has spoken out against the judge who allowed her alleged killer to remain free months before the attack.
Iryna Zarutska, 23, was stabbed to death on August 22 while riding the Lynx Blue Line. The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr, was arrested shortly afterward and charged with first-degree murder.
Family’s Heartbreak
Zarutska had fled Ukraine with her mother, brother, and sister in 2022 to escape the war. In a statement, her grieving family said:
“We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way. No family should have to go through this.”
Her family’s attorney added that she had texted her boyfriend before the attack, saying she “would be home soon.” Tragically, they said:
“Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene.”
Boyfriend’s Anger at Judge
The New York Post identified her boyfriend as Stanislav “Stas” Nikulytsia, who had lived with her in Charlotte for the past year. On Instagram, Nikulytsia reposted videos blasting Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who had freed Brown on cashless bail seven months before the knife attack.
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore also called for Judge Stokes’ removal, saying:
“North Carolina’s justice system failed Iryna Zarutska. She came to Charlotte looking for safety and a better life, but instead, she was brutally murdered by a repeat offender who never should’ve been let back on the streets. Judge Stokes had the chance to protect the public and chose not to. It’s clear that she’s unfit to hold this consequential position and should be removed from the bench immediately.”
Suspect’s Troubled Past
Brown, who was reportedly homeless and suffering from severe mental health issues, had been arrested 14 times before the fatal stabbing. His mother told a local station she had tried to have him involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital after he began displaying violent behavior.
His sister, Tracey Brown, described him as a “paranoid schizophrenic” and recounted a disturbing face-to-face visit after his arrest:
“When I went to visit him, he was mumbling and talking to himself. And I said, ‘Well, what’s on your mind?’ He looked at me and he was like, ‘I have to get you to.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean you have to get me?’ He said, ‘You and mama. Y’all are being trafficked.’ And I said, ‘Well, how are we being trafficked?’ And he said, ‘The government is trafficking y’all to get to me.’”
A Life Cut Short
According to her family’s attorney, Zarutska “had built a new life in Charlotte,” working full-time at a local pizzeria while attending community college to improve her English. She had dreams of becoming a veterinary assistant.
“She was a kind and hardworking young woman, deeply loved by her family and friends,” the attorney said. “That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon. Tragically, her journey ended in violence near the Camden light rail station.”
Featured image credit: Instagram/@nstanilsav
