CHARLOTTE — The father of the Ukrainian refugee knifed to death on a Charlotte train had to miss her funeral in North Carolina because he is stuck at home due to Russia’s invasion — inflicting yet another scar on a family that fled the war for the comparative safety of the US.
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Iryna Zarutska, 23, was buried in Charlotte on Aug. 27, but her father was unable to leave Ukraine because he is of fighting-age and required to remain in the country while its war rages on.
“He had to stay back. He didn’t come for the funeral,” said a neighbor of Zarutska’s family in Charlotte.
<img decoding="async" src="https://huffbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/15-sep-1.1.webp" alt="Iryna Zarutska on the train" />
Zarutska was stabbed to death on Aug. 22 while she rode a Charlotte light rail train home from work. Terrifying footage captured an agitated man sitting behind her unsheathe a pocket knife, then plunge it into her neck without provocation.
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The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., is a career criminal with at least 14 arrests for alarming and violent behavior to his name.
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The murder has left Zarutska’s family reeling — especially since they fled to the United States to escape the violence at home in Ukraine.
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<img decoding="async" src="https://huffbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/15-sep-1.2.webp" alt="Zarutska's family grieving" />
“They’re taking it really hard,” the neighbor told The Post, explaining Zarutska’s mother, younger brother, and sister also live in the US.
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“She was sweet. The whole neighborhood loved her. Everyone loved her here. She did a lot of pet sitting for neighbors. She was a good, sweet person,” the neighbor added.
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A glowing obituary for Zarutska described her as a talented artist who had dreams of becoming a veterinary assistant.
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“She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork. She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit,” the obituary read.
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“Iryna will be remembered for her kindness, her creativity, and the lasting impression she left on everyone she met,” it continued. “Her absence leaves a deep void, but her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her.”
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<img decoding="async" src="https://huffbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/15-sep-1.3.webp" alt="Iryna Zarutska's artistic work" />
Zarutska fled to the US with her family in 2022 to escape the war in Ukraine — but her father had to stay behind. Her murder sparked outrage over the limited coverage it received, and for a statement Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles released afterwards calling for “compassion” for the 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er.
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“This is a tragic situation that sheds light on problems with society safety nets related to mental healthcare and the systems that should be in place,” Lyles told WSOC-TV, adding that Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia that “needs to be treated with the same compassion, diligence and commitment as cancer and heart disease.”
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“Those who are unhoused are more frequently the victim of crimes and not the perpetrators,” she added.
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Brown has been charged with murder over the 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ing. He previously spent five years in prison for a 2014 armed robbery and was arrested within five months of being released in 2020 after he assaulted his sister.
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<img decoding="async" src="https://huffbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/15-sep-1.4.webp" alt="Iryna Zarutska's memorial" />
Before Zarutska’s murder he was most recently also arrested in January for “misuse of the 911 system” when he called the emergency line on police doing a welfare check on him.
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Zarutska’s neighbor thinks the way officials handled the situation has been “a major failure.”

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The Gut-Wrenching Truth Behind Why Iryna Zarutska’s Father Missed Her Funeral Will Leave You Stunned!