
Share
12th September 2025
02:16pm BST

The boyfriend of the Ukrainian woman who was killed on a train in North Carolina has slammed a judge for letting the suspect free.
A man who is reported to be the boyfriend of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska has been reposting videos of accounts hitting out at the judge who let the suspect free.
32-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr has been charged with a federal crime, making him eligible for the death penalty.
He was also charged with causing death on a mass transportation system.
The Mirror has reported that the suspect, who was said to be homeless and suffering from mental health issues, had 14 prior criminal arrests.
According to the young woman's obituary, she fled Ukraine in 2022 with her mother, brother and sister to escape the war with Russia.
"We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way," said her family in a statement.
"No family should have to go through this."
On the night of the murder, she had messaged her boyfriend that she 'would be home soon'.
According to The Post, her boyfriend ,'Stas' Nikulytsia, had been living with her in Charlotte for the past year.
Additionally, on Instagram, Nikulytsia has been reposting clips criticising Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who is alledged to have freed Brown on cashless bail seven months before Zarutska's murder.
Congressman Tim Moore has called on North Carolina House Republicans to sign a letter petitioning Stokes' removal.
He stated: “North Carolina’s justice system failed Iryna Zarutska. She came to Charlotte looking for safety and a better life, but instead, she was brutally murdered by a repeat offender who never should’ve been let back on the streets.
“Judge Stokes had the chance to protect the public and chose not to. It’s clear that she’s unfit to hold this consequential position and should be removed from the bench immediately.”
In a statement by the family's attorney, it was said that 'Iryna had built a new life in Charlotte' and that she was 'working full-time at a local pizzeria while attending community college to improve her English'.
"She was a kind and hardworking young woman, deeply loved by her family and friends," the statement continued.
"That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon.
"Tragically, her journey ended in violence near the Camden light rail station."