In a recent development, the man accused of murdering a young woman on a North Carolina light-rail train has been found incompetent to stand trial. This conclusion follows a mental health evaluation, as detailed in newly disclosed court documents.
Decarlos Brown Jr., aged 34, faces charges for the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian national. The tragic incident occurred aboard the Lynx Blue Line light-rail train in Charlotte on August 22, 2025.
According to court documents accessed by Fox News, an assessment conducted during Brown’s stay at Central Regional Hospital concluded that he is “incapable to proceed” with his upcoming criminal trial.
Brown, who is homeless and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is currently held in federal custody on separate charges related to the alleged murder.
A chilling image captures Iryna Zarutska in a state of terror as a man towers over her during the shocking attack on the Charlotte light-rail train. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System)
In light of these findings, Brown’s legal team has requested the court to postpone a hearing initially scheduled for April 30. They argue that efforts to “restore capacity” to evaluate his mental competence cannot proceed while he remains in federal custody.
The request will ultimately delay Brown’s case as he awaits a psychiatric evaluation.
Brown, a parolee with numerous run-ins with the law, reportedly has a history of mental illness, according to family members.
Booking photo of DeCarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., taken Jan. 20, 2025, following another arrest in Mecklenburg County. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office)
By March 2024, authorities had already documented six interactions with Brown, including various welfare checks in response to repeated 911 calls he made, according to The New York Times.
Just one year later, Brown placed a 911 call from Novant Presbyterian Hospital in which he said he needed help removing a “man-made” material that was controlling him, the Charlotte Observer reported.
When officers arrived on scene, they reportedly told him they were unable to help.
A memorial dedicated to Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sept. 11, 2025. (Peter Zay/Anadolu)
Brown made similar claims in a jailhouse phone call to his sister just days after Zarutska’s alleged murder.
In the call obtained by the Daily Mail, Brown said he did not understand why he stabbed the 23-year-old refugee while claiming that the government had implanted “materials” in his brain that were “controlling” his actions.
“They just lashed out on her, that’s what happened,” Brown said. “Whoever was working the materials they lashed out on her. That’s all there is to it. Now they really gotta investigate what my body was exposed to… Now they gotta do an investigation as to who was the motive behind what happened.”
Surveillance video shows Zarutska entering the train car and sitting down in front of Brown.
Roughly four minutes later, Brown allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed her three times from behind before departing the train.
Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene, with Brown being taken into custody minutes later on the light-rail platform.
Brown is facing both federal and state charges stemming from the alleged attack, and is expected to remain in federal custody as he awaits trial.
A U.S. magistrate judge previously ordered a second federal psychiatric exam ahead of his pending case, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Brown’s attorney has reportedly asked that his state hearing be postponed for six months, with prosecutors agreeing with the delay.
Brown’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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