Decarlos Brown Jr’s brother serving 27-36 years for 2012 murder as family’s violent history comes to light following Charlotte train stabbing
The man accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train comes from a family with an extensive criminal history spanning generations, court records reveal.
Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, now faces federal charges that could result in the death penalty for the unprovoked attack on the 23-year-old woman who had fled war-torn Ukraine seeking safety in America. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday that Brown would be prosecuted federally, declaring he “will never again see the light of day as a free man”.
The brutal stabbing on 22 August has cast a spotlight not only on Brown’s own lengthy criminal record but also on his family’s disturbing legacy of violence. His older brother, Stacey Dejon Brown, is currently serving a 27-to-36-year prison sentence for the 2012 murder of 65-year-old Robert Heym during a robbery in Charlotte.
Family’s Criminal Legacy
Court documents viewed by Fox News Digital reveal that Stacey Brown, then 22, pleaded guilty in April 2014 to second-degree murder, two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to kill, and breaking or entering a motor vehicle. Prosecutors revealed that after shooting Heym in the face during a robbery for his mobile phone, Stacey and his accomplice, Roderick Derrick Crawford, fled the scene using the Charlotte light rail system – the same transit network where his brother would allegedly commit murder thirteen years later.
Since his incarceration, Stacey Brown has received 44 prison infractions, including assaulting someone with a deadly weapon, setting a fire, theft of property, and lock tampering, according to North Carolina’s prison database. He was also on probation for a 2010 conviction for assault or threats against the government.
The criminal history extends beyond the brothers. Their sister, Tracey Vontrea Brown, 33, has a record that includes misdemeanour shoplifting, larceny, felony conspiracy, vehicle theft, and resisting public officers. Her most recent arrests came in 2024 for misdemeanour larceny, felony conspiracy, and shoplifting, according to Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office records.
The family patriarch, Decarlos Brown Sr, has also had multiple run-ins with the law. Court records show convictions for breaking and entering, felony conspiracy, larceny, and possession of a weapon on a university campus dating back to 1990. He served three months in prison for possessing stolen goods in 2014.
The Charlotte Attack
The attack that has thrust the Brown family into national scrutiny occurred shortly before 10pm on 22 August when Zarutska boarded the LYNX Blue Line train after finishing work at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria. Surveillance footage released by the Charlotte Area Transit System shows her sitting down in front of Brown, scrolling through her phone whilst wearing her pizzeria uniform.
Approximately four minutes later, without any apparent interaction, Brown pulled a folding knife from his pocket and stabbed Zarutska three times from behind, including at least once in the neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brown Jr himself had been arrested at least 14 times before the fatal attack, with convictions including robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony larceny, and breaking and entering. He served more than five years in prison for armed robbery, being released in 2020.
Court records show Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a documented pattern of delusional behaviour. In January 2025, he was arrested after allegedly repeatedly calling 911 claiming that a “man-made material” had been implanted in his body. Despite these red flags, he was released on a “written promise to appear” just months before the fatal stabbing.
His mother, Michelle Dewitt, told local media she had sought an involuntary commitment order from the courts for her son after his erratic behaviour, stating “the system failed him. His sister Tracey told CNN she believed her brother had a mental breakdown that night, revealing he had told her multiple times the government had implanted a chip in him.
Federal Charges and Political Response
The Justice Department filed charges against Brown for committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or death. The case has become a flashpoint in national debates about crime and criminal justice reform.
Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream – her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” Attorney General Bondi said in announcing the federal charges. “We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence.”
FBI Director Kash Patel called the attack “a disgraceful act that should never happen in America”, adding that the FBI “jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again.
The case has drawn attention from President Donald Trump, who posted on Truth Social calling for “LAW AND ORDER” and criticising Democrat-led cities’ approach to crime. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Zarutska’s death was “entirely preventable”, noting that Brown “never should have been on that train that night.
Victim’s Story
Zarutska had fled Ukraine in 2022 with her mother, sister, and brother to escape Russia’s invasion, settling in Charlotte where she “quickly embraced her new life in the United States”, according to her obituary. She attended Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant.
Her family had become concerned when she failed to arrive home after texting her boyfriend that she was en route. When they tracked her phone’s location to the station and arrived to investigate, they discovered she had been killed.
US Attorney Russ Ferguson became emotional during Tuesday’s press conference, revealing that when the Ukrainian Embassy offered to help bring Zarutska’s body home to Ukraine, her family declined, saying America was now her home and should be her final resting place.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles blamed the attack on “a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates” and announced increased security measures on the transit system. The incident has prompted calls for bipartisan solutions to address repeat offenders and gaps in the mental health system.
The case has reignited debates about public safety, criminal justice reform, and the treatment of individuals with serious mental illness in the criminal justice system. As Brown awaits trial on both state and federal charges, questions remain about how someone with such an extensive criminal history and documented mental health issues was free to commit such a violent act.
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