Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed in August aboard a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, by an assailant with an extensive criminal history.
News organizations have reported that a US grand jury has indicted a North Carolina man for the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, in a case potentially leading to the death penalty.
The incident occurred on August 22, when Zarutska was killed while traveling on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Surveillance video captured 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. inflicting three stab wounds to her neck before making his escape, knife still in hand. The footage indicated the assault was unprovoked, with no prior interaction between them. Brown was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
A federal grand jury formally indicted him on Wednesday. The indictment reportedly asserts he “intentionally killed” Zarutska, a charge which qualifies him for the death penalty.
On Thursday, an attorney for Zarutska’s family issued a statement expressing their “pleasure” with the indictment and their anticipation of “swift justice.”
Court records reveal Brown’s criminal history extends over a decade, encompassing felony breaking and entering along with robbery involving a dangerous weapon. He had previously served a five-year prison sentence for the robbery conviction.
The killing of Zarutska has reignited demands for capital punishment. US President Donald Trump characterized Brown as an “animal” and demanded the application of the death penalty. In late September, Trump had signed an executive order restoring the death penalty for murder in Washington, DC, stating it would aid in deterring violent crime.
Presently, 27 US states permit executions, while 23 have abolished it. North Carolina has maintained a suspension on the death penalty since the early 2000s.
Earlier this month, the state passed Iryna’s Law, which reestablishes the death penalty and instructs officials to identify alternative execution methods should lethal injection prove inaccessible.
In April, legislators in North Carolina put forth proposals to legalize firing squads and the electric chair. Governor Josh Stein labeled the concept “barbaric” and affirmed that firing squads would not be utilized in the state during his tenure.