A North Carolina court has ruled that 35-year-old Dekarlos Brown Jr. is unfit to stand trial for the murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. This decision follows a mental health evaluation conducted at a regional hospital.
According to reports from WCNC and The Assembly, court documents filed on April 7 in Mecklenburg County indicate that Brown, who faces both state and federal murder charges—including a potential death penalty—was deemed “incompetent to stand trial” in a report dated December 29, 2025.
North Carolina law stipulates that a defendant who does not understand the nature of the proceedings or is unable to assist in their own defense cannot be punished, including by death penalty.
Brown is set for a competency hearing in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, where a judge will determine if he can proceed to trial. His attorney, Daniel Roberts, has requested a 180-day delay for this hearing, citing difficulties related to Brown’s federal detention that hinder the competency evaluation process. The state has agreed to this request.
In October 2025, a federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted Brown for the murder of Zarutska, which carries the possibility of the death penalty.
Zarutska was found dead on August 22 at a light rail station in Charlotte, North Carolina. She had arrived in the U.S. following the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Police reported that Zarutska suffered fatal stab wounds. Brown was arrested shortly after law enforcement arrived at the scene and has been charged with first-degree murder. The motive for the attack remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.
Brown has a history of arrests dating back to 2011, with charges including felony theft, armed robbery, and making threats. Most of these charges were eventually dropped. In January 2025, he was charged with the improper use of the 911 system, which is still pending.
Former President Donald Trump has called for the death penalty for Brown, while Elon Musk has pledged $1 million for murals depicting Zarutska.
Dekarlos Brown Jr. has been declared unfit for trial in the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee. A competency hearing is set to determine his ability to face charges, while the investigation into the motive continues.