Suspect in Ukrainian Refugee’s Murder Found Unfit for Trial
The individual accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Irina Zalutka, who was tragically stabbed on a train in North Carolina, has been deemed “unable to proceed” to trial.
A motion filed recently revealed that DeCarlos Brown Jr., arrested and charged with first-degree murder following Zalutka’s death, is currently undergoing evaluation at Central Regional Hospital, according to WBTV News.
On December 29, 2025, it was reported that Brown had been found “unable to continue.”
The newspaper indicated that Brown’s public defender has requested the court to move forward with the case, and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office has “agreed” to do so.
In a court motion submitted on Tuesday, Brown’s attorneys highlighted that as long as he is held in federal custody, the necessary competency hearing cannot take place. They asserted that the court cannot reinstate Brown while he remains in federal detention.
According to court documents, the District Attorney’s Office in Mecklenburg County has concurred with proceeding in this case.
Additionally, Mr. Brown has been mandated to undergo a psychiatric evaluation pertaining to this matter in federal court. However, a court filing from March 6 indicated that the evaluation has not yet been completed, resulting in an extension of the review period.
Following Zalutka’s death, North Carolina’s General Assembly enacted Irina’s Law, which seeks to abolish cashless bail for certain violent offenses. In October, Governor Josh Stein signed this law into effect.
In September, it was reported that Brown had been arrested earlier in the year but was later released without bail, despite having around 14 previous criminal charges, including armed robbery and felony theft.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt pointed out on Tuesday that Brown was indeed arrested earlier this year and subsequently released without bail by a liberal judge, even though he had 14 criminal charges spanning the past 14 years, such as armed robbery and felony theft. He had also served five years for robbery involving a deadly weapon.
Many social media users expressed their disbelief, arguing that if Brown was capable of targeting and killing women, he should be considered competent enough to face trial.
“If he’s able to target and kill women, he should be tried, convicted, and given the death penalty,” conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey remarked in a post.
Another individual stated, “I’m tired of using madness as an excuse to let ferocious animals prey on innocent people.” They argued that if someone is deemed insane, it implies they can’t be rehabilitated and shouldn’t be trusted in society.
