Suspect accused of killing Iryna Zarutska ‘incapable to proceed’ on his charge

The suspect accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska last year is possibly “incapable to proceed” on his state murder charge.

DeCarlos Brown Jr., 35, is facing both state and federal charges in the stabbing of Zarutska, 23, on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August 2025. His attorney, Daniel Roberts, is requesting Brown’s Rule 24 trial — where prosecutors would reveal if they would pursue the death penalty — to be delayed another 180 days, according to Roberts’s motion filed on Tuesday.

The motion also said that Brown was evaluated at Central Regional Hospital, and a report generated on Dec. 29, 2025, found the suspect “incapable to proceed.” Under North Carolina law, a defendant can proceed if they understand the nature of their charges, comprehend their role in court proceedings, and help their defense in a “rational and reasonable manner,” according to the Charlotte Observer.

DeCarlos Brown