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By Dan Gooding, Shane Croucher, and Jason Lemon
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Decarlos Brown Jr. blamed "materials" inside his body for causing him to kill Iryna Zarutska, in disturbing audio revealed by his sister.
Brown Jr, 34, stabbed Zarutska, 23, to death on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22.
The unprovoked killing of the Ukrainian woman, who fled Russia's war in her home country to live in the U.S. was captured in shocking surveillance footage.
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Why It Matters
The attack has raised questions about safety and policing levels in Charlotte, while some have also scrutinized the city's judicial system, as Brown, who was known to the police as having schizophrenia and had previous arrests and convictions spanning over a decade, had been released after an arrest in January.
The recording, first shared with The Daily Mail, came from a phone call between Brown Jr. and his sister, Tracy Brown.
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What To Know
Brown Jr, whose family says is schizophrenic, said he wanted police to "investigate what my body was exposed to."
"They just lashed out on her, that's what happened," Brown Jr. said, trying to explain the killing to his sister.
"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."
The recording comes from a call on August 28, in which his sister could be heard asking: "Out of all people, why her?" referring to Zarutska.
"She's from the Ukraine, she's from Russia, and they had a war going on against the United States, so I'm just trying to understand, of all people, why her?"
Tracy also asked her brother where he was going on the light rail that day, to which he responded, "I was going downtown to the hospital to tell them … that I'm trying to get rid of the material … to stop going crazy."
Speaking to the Mail, Tracy said she believed that her brother should not have been on the streets, having tried multiple times in recent years to be admitted to hospital for psychiatric help. The suspect's mother has made similar remarks.
Decarlos Brown Jr.'s Prior Arrests: What We Know
Brown has been charged with first-degree murder over the attack, but he has been known to the North Carolina criminal justice system for several years.
Mecklenburg County court and jail records showed Brown has been arrested in connection with 14 cases spanning more than a decade.
His history includes convictions for felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. He received a six-year prison sentence in 2015 for incidents dating to 2013 and 2014. He was released in 2020.
Within months of his release, Brown was charged with assaulting his sister, and according to WSOC-TV, even Brown's mother has blamed the courts for allowing her son to be out in the community.
Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a documented pattern of delusional behavior. In January, he was arrested after allegedly repeatedly calling 911 to claim that a "man-made material" had been implanted in his body and was dictating his ability to eat, walk and speak.
Police described that arrest as a misuse of the emergency system and noted concerns about his mental stability. He was released without bond.
By July, a judge had ordered a competency evaluation, but it wasn't completed and Brown remained free until the fatal stabbing. After his arrest in Zarutska's killing, prosecutors filed a motion for another competency evaluation.
Who Was Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska?
Zarutska had fled Ukraine to escape the ongoing war with Russia, and was determined to build a safer life in the United States, relatives wrote in a GoFundMe post.
The 23-year-old had emigrated from Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother. Her family said she quickly adapted to life in the U.S, becoming fluent in English in a short time.
On August 22, 2025, at around 9:46 p.m., Zarutska got onto a Lynx Blue Line light rail train in Charlotte, sitting in front of Brown Jr. She had earbuds in and was looking at her phone.
A few minutes later, Brown was seen on surveillance footage reaching into a pocket and pulling out a pocket knife, before standing and stabbing the young woman multiple times.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for Zarutska's family, in a statement Tuesday: "We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way... This could have been anyone riding the light rail that night. We are committed to making sure this never happens again."
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in a press release Tuesday: "Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream—her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.
"I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence—he will never again see the light of day as a free man."
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, in a statement posted on X on Monday: "As I reflect on the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska my heart continues to go out to her family and our community as we try to make sense of this horrific and senseless loss."
What's Next
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a quick trial and the death penalty in the case.
If convicted, Brown Jr. faces a maximum sentence of life in prison or death. His next court appearance in scheduled for September 19.
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