A man charged in the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte light rail train has been found incompetent to stand trial, according to court filings reported by The Charlotte Observer.
DeCarlos Brown Jr., 35, is âincapable to proceedâ on a state murder charge in the August killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, his public defender said in a motion filed April 7 in Mecklenburg Superior Court.
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The Department of Justice previously called for Brown to face the death penalty.
Brown, who is homeless and has told police he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, faces both state and federal murder charges in the case, according to The Charlotte Observer.
His attorney, Daniel Roberts, asked the court to delay a scheduled Rule 24 hearing â where prosecutors would indicate whether they intend to seek the death penalty â for six months. Prosecutors agreed to the request.
Under North Carolina law, a defendant must be able to understand the charges, comprehend court proceedings, and assist in his or her defense in a rational manner to be deemed competent to stand trial.
Brownâs state competency evaluation was completed Dec. 29, 2025, at Central Regional Hospital, but he remains in federal custody while his federal murder case is pending and cannot appear in state court, according to the motion cited by The Charlotte Observer.
A federal magistrate judge has also ordered a second psychiatric evaluation in the federal case.