Decarlos Brown Jr., the career criminal charged with fatally stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zaruska on a Charlotte light rail train, has been indicted on federal charges.
This makes Brown eligible for the death penalty.
JUST IN - Decarlos Brown Jr. indicted on federal charges with "violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death," which makes him eligible for the death penalty — ABC pic.twitter.com/fU0mE0phlj
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 22, 2025
A federal grand jury in North Carolina returned the indictment against Decarlos Brown Jr., charging him with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death. This charge makes him eligible for the death penalty.
Brown was allegedly caught on video stabbing the woman, identified as 23-year-old Iryna Zaruska, on Aug. 22 on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte.
A pocketknife and other items were collected from the scene.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage that showed the victim entering the light rail car and sitting down in the row in front of Brown.
Approximately four minutes later, Brown allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and unfolded it before striking the victim three times from behind, prosecutors said.
Video of Zaruska's murder went viral on social media and caused a firestorm after the public learned Brown had a lengthy criminal record with more than a dozen prior arrests. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles applauded media outlets that suppressed the video and demanded that we have "compassion" for Brown and his mental health issues.
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Brown is just one example of the deadly consequences of the Democratic Party's intentionally weak crime policies. Democratic NC State Rep. Marcia Morey said there was "no correlation" between crime and letting career criminals like Brown out of prison. Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) said stabbings like this one couldn't be stopped by keeping criminals behind bars.
Less than a year before his fatal attack on Zaruska, Brown was released by Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes on cashless bail with a "written promise" to appear at a later court date. Republicans in NC are calling for Stokes to be removed from her position. Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC), who was a state representative at the time, wrote in a post, "This tragedy was preventable. There must be accountability. North Carolinians deserve better."
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