Suspect in Killing of 23-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee Shares His Motive in Jail Call to Sister

On a late-summer afternoon in Charlotte, the promise of safety and new beginnings ended in violence for a young refugee — a tragedy that has since become entangled with the disturbing delusions of the man accused of taking her life.

In a chilling jailhouse call, 34-year-old Declaros Brown, who has a documented history of severe schizophrenia, revealed why he stabbed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to his sister, Tracey Brown. According to him, he committed the violent crime because he believed the government had implanted foreign materials in his brain that were controlling his every move.

During the phone call obtained by Daily Mail, he said, "I hurt my hand, stabbing her. I don't even know the lady. I never said not one word to the lady at all. That's scary, ain't it. Why would somebody stab somebody for no reason [sic]?"

Declaros Spirals Into Delusions in Emotional Phone Call with Sister

Declaros, speaking in disjointed, erratic phrases, repeatedly insisted he wasn't the one who chose to kill Iryna. Instead, he said the "materials" inside him — which he never identified — were to blame.

Tracey, clearly struggling to make sense of her brother's descent into madness, asked a question many have likely wondered, "Out of all people, why her? She's from the Ukraine, she's from Russia, and they had a war going on against the United States, so I'm just trying to understand, of all people, why her?"

Blaming the operators of the "material" during the call, he replied:

"They just lashed out on her, that's what happened. Whoever was working the materials they lashed out on her. That's all there is to it. Now they really gotta investigate what my body was exposed to... Now they gotta do an investigation as to who was the motive behind what happened [sic]."

Declaros Says He Was Heading to the Hospital Just Before the Stabbing

In another haunting moment from the call, the suspect claimed he had been heading to a local hospital before the stabbing. "I was going downtown to the hospital to tell them… that I'm trying to get rid of the material… to stop going crazy," he said.

But it was too late. Iryna, who had escaped the horrors of war in Ukraine for a new life in America, was brutally murdered on a light rail platform, her life cut short by a man who believed she could "read his mind."

When Tracey confronted her brother face-to-face, she said he chillingly added that he believed Iryna was inside his thoughts, spying on him — another terrifying delusion.

Tracey Says the State and Their Parents Failed Them Both – With Deadly Consequences

Speaking exclusively to the outlet, Tracey — who works as an Amazon delivery associate in Charlotte — delivered a damning rebuke of the mental health system that, in her view, utterly failed to protect both her brother and Zarutska:

"I'm going to be honest. I'm not blaming anyone for his actions, except for the state. I'm blaming the state for letting him down as far as seeking help. When you have mentally ill people seeking help, and you're running tests on them, and you clearly see that you are dealing with a psychosis on an acute level, you do not let them go back into society.

His sister claimed her brother had been begging for help — but no one was listening.

"He was a high risk. He was not in his right mind. He was not safe for society. We know what he has been dealing with the last three years. And now an innocent woman is dead. He was asking and crying for help, and no-one heard him or took him seriously. He reached a level of his mental illness that caused him to commit a heinous crime [sic]," She added.

Tracey also laid part of the blame on their mother, recalling how she and her brother were taken out of their parents' care and shuttled through foster homes for much of their childhood. Although the siblings were often separated, she said they managed to remain emotionally "close" despite the distance.

He now faces murder charges in the slaying of Zarutska, a refugee whose American dream ended in bloodshed and horror.

What Really Happened on That Train Platform?

While Declaros rambled about mind control and psychic surveillance, surveillance footage and witness accounts from the light rail station told a very different story — one of cold, unprovoked violence. The attack occurred as the light rail approached East/West Boulevard Station in Charlotte.

According to video footage, Iryna — wearing a black shirt and cap — was seated in an aisle seat with headphones on. Behind her sat the suspect, who was wearing a red hooded jacket.

According to investigators, the two had no interaction before the attack. Moments later, the footage showed Declaros suddenly pulling out a knife and stabbing the deceased Ukrainian multiple times in front of horrified passengers. Fellow riders rushed to her side, desperately trying to help her.

Declaros, meanwhile, walked to the other end of the train and removed his hoodie. About two minutes later, the train stopped, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were waiting to arrest him as he stepped onto the platform.

Public Outcry, Presidential Condemnation, and a City in Mourning

Authorities said Declaros faces first-degree murder charges and has been permanently banned from using Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) services. Officials later confirmed he has a history of criminal offenses and mental health issues.

The release of the video prompted swift reactions from public officials. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called Iryna's killing a senseless and tragic loss. She offered prayers and support to the deceased's loved ones, acknowledging the immense grief they are facing in the aftermath of the tragedy.

She thanked both media outlets and community members for choosing not to repost or circulate the footage, saying their restraint showed respect for the deceased's family.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump also condemned the attack after viewing the video. He described the footage as "so horrible" and referred to the suspect as a "lunatic" and a "madman."

For Iryna's family, the tragedy brought an abrupt end to a life defined by resilience and talent. Born on May 22, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine, she was the daughter of Anna Zarutska and Stanislav Zarutskyi. In August 2022, she arrived in Charlotte with her mother, sister, and brother, escaping the war that had torn through her homeland.