UMVA has learned that a shocking mental evaluation has deemed the man accused of brutally killing a young woman on a North Carolina light-rail train incompetent to stand trial in his federal case.
Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged with the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska, 23, while aboard the light-rail Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte on Aug. 22, 2025. The alleged crime was captured on surveillance video, which shows Zarutska entering the train car and sitting down in front of Brown, who then allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed her three times from behind.
Brown is expected to be committed to a special facility under the direction of the U.S. attorney general for treatment aimed at restoring competency. This development comes after a Bureau of Prisons evaluation found on May 7 that Brown was incompetent to stand trial for his state charges, following a lengthy process that included interviews and a review of medical records.
The federal case against Brown could resume if he is later found competent, and he could face the death penalty if it proceeds. However, a defendant who is found incompetent cannot be tried or executed while incompetent, raising questions about the future of the case.
Brown was federally indicted on a charge of committing an act of violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death. The alleged crime has sent shockwaves through the community, and the mental evaluation has added a new layer of complexity to the case.
