Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death in the United States: alleged perpetrator declared unfit to stand trial

US man accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee declared mentally unfit for trial

• An American man accused of fatally stabbing a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee in a Charlotte tramway has been declared mentally unfit to stand trial locally.
• The case stirred outrage in the US as images of the crime circulated widely on social media.

Donald Trump had called for the death penalty for him. A man accused of killing a Ukrainian refugee was declared mentally unfit to stand trial locally, American media reported Wednesday.

DeCarlos Brown, 35, is accused of fatally stabbing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska as she was returning from work on a tramway in Charlotte in August. Local media, including WBTV, reported that psychiatrists found DeCarlos Brown “incompetent to stand trial, and his lawyer requested a trial postponement.

“Monster”

He is also facing federal charges, where he has not been deemed unfit for trial, at least for now. “DeCarlos Brown is currently in custody following a federal indictment. The proceedings in the state, including any decision regarding his fitness to stand trial in this proceeding, are entirely separate, said a federal prosecutor’s office in North Carolina.

The case sparked strong emotions in the US, especially among conservative circles. Describing the presumed killer as animal, Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform demanded a speedy trial and the death penalty. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt referred to DeCarlos Brown, previously convicted multiple times, as a monster who should have been locked up.

The murder footage, captured by surveillance cameras, was widely shared by conservative media and social media accounts to support Trump’s tough crime policies.