A homeless man, DeCarlos Brown Jr., who allegedly stabbed 23-year-old Irina Zalutka on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been found incompetent to stand trial in the state case. However, federal authorities have clarified that this ruling will not impact their ongoing case against him.
Brown, 34, is accused of fatally attacking Zalutka on August 22, 2025. As per court documents, his lawyer stated that an assessment from Central Regional Hospital indicated Brown is “unable to proceed” with his state criminal trial, effectively pausing the prosecution.
Officials from the Justice Department emphasized that this state ruling is unrelated to the federal charges Brown faces. The U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina reiterated that Brown remains in federal custody despite the state proceedings.
According to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who shared insights following a discussion with the U.S. Attorney in Charlotte, the state litigation does not conclude matters for Mr. Brown.
Brown will undergo another evaluation regarding his competency, which is necessary for the federal case and cannot take place while he’s held federally. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Zalutka, a Ukrainian refugee, entering the train and sitting in front of Brown. Minutes later, he allegedly stabbed her three times before exiting the train.
After being captured at the light rail platform, Zalutka was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown has an extensive criminal history, including multiple offenses, and has previously been in contact with authorities due to his mental health issues, as noted by his family.
Reports indicate that Brown had six prior encounters with law enforcement, detailing welfare checks stemming from his repeated 911 calls. Just a year before this tragic incident, he called 911 from a hospital claiming he needed help with an “artificial” substance allegedly controlling him.
In a subsequent phone call with his sister following Zalutka’s murder, he expressed confusion about the attack and suggested that a substance implanted by the government was manipulating his actions. He claimed, “They just lashed out at her,” and called for an investigation into the influences on his behavior and the motives behind the incident.
Brown is currently awaiting trial on both state and federal charges. The Department of Justice has not responded to requests for further comment on the case.
