A Charlotte man has been deemed “incapable to proceed” in his state murder case following a mental health evaluation conducted at Central Regional Hospital on December 29, 2025.

Decarlos Brown Jr., now 25, was found mentally incompetent by the hospital’s assessment and this ruling has been accepted by Mecklenburg County Superior Court. The decision halts his state prosecution pending further proceedings under federal law.

Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn Ukraine seeking safety, was killed minutes from home on August 23, 2025, one day after being attacked on the CATS Blue Line in Charlotte. She was working at a local pizzeria while attending community college to improve her English.

Her family described the death as “tragic and preventable.”

Brown Jr., who is currently in federal custody, faces both state murder charges and a federal indictment that could carry the death penalty. His attorney filed a motion to delay a critical competency hearing by 180 days due to his federal detention, which has been granted with consent from the State.

The capacity hearing — considered “critical” in capital cases — cannot be held while Brown Jr. remains in federal custody for related proceedings.