Hearing to Decide on Death Penalty for Alleged Charlotte Light Rail Killer Delayed Until April 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A key court hearing in the Charlotte light rail murder case involving the death of 23-year-old Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska has been delayed until April 2026, according to Mecklenburg County court documents.
The defendant, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was scheduled for a Rule 24 hearing on Thursday, October 16, which would determine whether the state plans to pursue the death penalty. The hearing, however, has now been postponed at the request of Brown and his attorney, Daniel Roberts. The specific reason for the delay was redacted in court filings.
Timeline of the Fatal Light Rail Stabbing
The killing occurred on August 22, 2025, around 9:50 p.m., when Zarutska was reportedly stabbed multiple times, including once in the throat, while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte.
Officials said surveillance footage showed Zarutska boarding the train at 9:46 p.m. and sitting in front of Brown. Within minutes, Brown allegedly attacked her, and bystanders rushed to help after the assault. Brown exited the train at the next stop and was arrested shortly after, suffering a minor laceration to his hand.
Authorities confirmed that Zarutska and Brown did not know each other, and a motive for the attack remains unclear.
Zarutska, who had recently come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine, died on the scene from her injuries.
Suspect Faces Both State and Federal Charges
Brown was charged with first-degree murder in August and later faced a federal charge in September 2025. He remains in custody without bond and has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.
Court records show Brown has a history of erratic behavior. In January 2025, he was arrested for misusing 911, telling officers that “someone gave him a man-made material that controlled when he ate, walked, and talked.”
North Carolina’s “Iryna’s Law” and Death Penalty Debate
The case has reignited the political and moral debate over capital punishment in North Carolina. In response to Zarutska’s death, lawmakers passed “Iryna’s Law”, signed by the governor on October 3, 2025.
The legislation includes provisions allowing prosecutors to seek the death penalty in certain violent cases and controversially reinstates firing squad executions as an option for condemned inmates.
Before this bill, North Carolina had maintained a moratorium on executions since the early 2000s. The last inmate sentenced to death in the state was placed on death row in 1998.
Governor Josh Stein voiced opposition to parts of the law, calling the firing squad provision “barbaric” and stating, “There will be no firing squad while I’m governor.”
Next Steps in the Case
The delayed Rule 24 hearing will now take place in April 2026, where prosecutors are expected to announce whether they will pursue the death penalty against Brown.
Until then, Brown remains in the Mecklenburg County Jail under a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, and the case continues to attract national and international attention due to Zarutska’s background as a Ukrainian war refugee.
Community members and advocacy groups plan to hold a memorial vigil later this month to honor Zarutska’s life and call for continued safety reforms across Charlotte’s public transit system.
Readers can share their thoughts on the reinstatement of the death penalty in North Carolina and the impact of Iryna’s Law at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
