President Trump Weighs in on Death of Ukrainian Immigrant Stabbed to Death on the Train | Crime Alert 5PM 10.08.25

Will there be justice for Iryna Zarutska? Here's what we know about the Ukrainian refugee and the man accused of her brutal stabbing. Dave Mack reports.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime a art hourly update, breaking crime news. Now, I'm
Drew Nelson. She survives the ongoing attack in Ukraine, assimilating
with her new community in North Carolina, when her life
is cut short. So why was the killer walking free
among us? Here with this story is crime Online.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Steve Mack escaping Wartorn in Ukraine, where she was living
in a bomb shelter. Twenty three year old Arena Zarutzka
immigrates with her mother, sister, and brother to the United States.
A graduate of Senergy College and Art and Restoration, she
shares her creativity with family and friends, creating personal works
of art for gifts and marking special occasions. Irena enjoys
adventures and exploring new places, but Irena is a homebody

(00:39):
at heart, happiest surrounded by her pets and family, and
dreams of a career as a veterinary assistant. Irena is
traveling on the East West Boulevard light rail station Charlotte,
North Carolina, headed home after working at a local pizza restaurant.
Irena is by herself as she takes a seat and
is on her phone, listening with earbuds. Sitting directly behind
Irena is a thirty four year old to Carlos. The

(01:00):
right is uneventful until Brown stands up and, without warning,
stabs Irena in the neck. Brown then walks away as
Irena grabs her neck, trying to stop the flow of blood.
Passengers aboard the train look on as Irena bleeds out
in front of them. As the suspect walks away, nobody
confronts him. Blood is dripping on the floor from the
knife and from Irena, but nobody offers her any help. Instead,

(01:23):
some of the passengers on the train use their phones
to video what is taking place. One of the passengers
calls nine point one De Carlos. Brown walks up and
down the aisle before the train stops, at times stepping
in IRENA's blood, spreading it in the walkway. Brown is
not approached by anyone on the train, and as the
train pulls into the station, he deboards as if nothing

(01:43):
has taken place. Irena Zarutzka is bleeding to death on
the train. As Brown exits the train, police locate a
folding pocket knife nearby that it's covered in blood. Irena
is found laying on her back next to a large
amount of blood and a stab wound in the middle
of her neck. Aalen's video shows suspect to Carlos Brown
sitting behind Irena. He takes a knife out of his pocket,

(02:05):
unfolds the blade, and strikes Irena Zerotska three times from behind.
She never saw it coming. As Brown walks away down
the aisle in the middle of the train, blood is
seen dripping from the knife onto the floor.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Up next, Guess how many times de Carlos Brown has
been arrested More on the case of Irena Zarutska after this.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
De Carlos Brown was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina,
and has a criminal record dating back to twenty eleven.
Many charges are for communicating threats and injury to property
that were dismissed by Mecklenburg District Attorneys Andrew Murray and
Spencer Merriweather. In April twenty fourteen, Brown pleaded guilty to
two twenty thirteen charges of felony larcenian breaking and entering.

(02:53):
A judge suspended his sentence of five to fifteen months
in prison. Instead, the judge ordered he served two years probation.
Months into probation, Brown robs a man in South Charlotte.
Brown paced the complex for an hour before brandishing a handgun.
He demands the victim's phone and money, and left in
a two thousand and one Dodge caravan with the man
Samsung Galaxy Note, four hundred and fifty dollars and one

(03:15):
hundred dollars Limpura Hondura's currency note. Police found Brown's car
at an apartment owned by his mother. He was cooperative
with officers at first and allowed officers to go inside.
When officers found the stolen items, he grew irate and
asked officers to leave. They don't leave, they arrest Brown.
Brown pleaded guilty to robbery with a dangerous weapon and
was sentenced to a maximum of eight years four months.

(03:37):
He served five years seven months before being released from
Central Prison in September twenty twenty two. Brown arrested on
assault on a female and injury to property. April twenty
twenty four, Brown arrested for misusing nine one one May
twenty twenty four, misusing nine one one January twenty twenty five,
misusing nine one one January twenty twenty five. Judge Teresa

(03:57):
Stokes released Brown the same day he was arrested on
a written promise to appear. Brown did not present himself
for evaluation three weeks later, he is alleged to have
killed Irena. If that order was followed, he would have
been evaluated weeks before the stabbing. The public defender in
his murdered charge filed a motion questioning Brown's mental capacity,
and Wiggins again ordered to be evaluated. Police have not

(04:20):
identified any motive or lengthy attack to mental illness.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
In Charlotte, North Carolina, a twenty three year old woman
who came here from Ukraine met her bloody end on
a public train. A beautiful young girl that never had
problems in life, for the magnificent future in this country,
and now she's dead. She was slaughtered by a deranged

(04:44):
monster who was roaming free after fourteen prior arrests.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
For more in the case, if Irena Sarutska joined Crime
Stories When Nancy Grace now on Fox one, Sirius XM,
Triumph Channel one eleven at eight pm Eastern, on YouTube
and wherever you get your podcasts with this crime alayt,
I'm Drew Nelson,