In a twist that has left friends, family, and investigators baffled, the tragic death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train has taken on an even more mysterious edge. Her best friend has come forward with a heartbreaking revelation: Iryna was secretly saving for her first apartment in America, carrying exactly $329 in cash in her bag that fateful evening. But when her belongings were finally recovered from the chaotic scene, the money was gone—leaving only a neatly folded apartment brochure tucked beside her ID. Was it stolen amid the panic? Or is there something darker at play? The answer could change everything we know about that horrific night.

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Iryna Zarutska, the young Ukrainian refugee whose dreams were shattered on a routine train ride.

Iryna Zarutska’s story begins far from the bustling streets of Charlotte, North Carolina, in the war-torn city of Kyiv, Ukraine. Born on May 22, 2002, Iryna grew up with a passion for art and restoration, earning a degree from Synergy College. She was known among her close circle as a creative soul, often sculpting small figures or designing clothes for friends. But her peaceful life was upended in February 2022 when Russia’s full-scale invasion turned her world into a nightmare of air raids and uncertainty. For months, Iryna and her family—mother Anna, sister Valeriia, and younger brother Bohdan—huddled in a cramped bomb shelter, surviving on meager rations while bombs shook the ground above.

Desperate for safety, the family fled Ukraine in August 2022, leaving behind Iryna’s father, Stanislav, who was barred from departing due to martial law restrictions on men of fighting age. Arriving in the United States as refugees, they settled in Huntersville, a quiet suburb north of Charlotte. For Iryna, America represented a fresh start—a place where she could rebuild without the constant fear of war. She quickly adapted, enrolling in English classes at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and dreaming of becoming a veterinary assistant. Animals were her joy; neighbors recall her walking their dogs with an infectious smile, treating each pet like her own.

To support herself, Iryna took a job at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria in Charlotte’s vibrant South End neighborhood. The area, alive with breweries, coffee shops, and modern apartment complexes, symbolized the new life she was chasing. She worked long shifts, often late into the evening, relying on the Lynx Blue Line light rail to get home. It was on this train, a symbol of her independence, that her story took a devastating turn.

On August 22, 2025—Iryna’s 23rd birthday just months earlier—she finished her shift around 9 p.m. Dressed in khaki pants, a dark shirt, and her pizzeria hat, she boarded at Scaleybark station, scrolling through her phone as the train rumbled north. Unbeknownst to her, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. was also on board. Brown, with a lengthy criminal record including armed robbery and firearm possession, had been seen acting erratically earlier that day—laughing to himself and pacing without a ticket.

In a sudden, unprovoked attack captured on surveillance footage, Brown approached Iryna from behind and stabbed her three times, including a fatal wound to the neck. Passengers screamed as she collapsed, blood pooling on the floor. Despite frantic efforts by bystanders to stem the bleeding, Iryna succumbed at the scene. Brown calmly exited at East/West Boulevard station, where police arrested him moments later. He now faces first-degree murder charges in state court and federal counts related to violence against mass transit systems.

But amid the horror, a puzzling detail emerged from Iryna’s closest confidante, her best friend from college days in Kyiv, who had kept in touch via video calls. According to the friend, Iryna had been quietly saving every spare dollar from her pizzeria tips for a down payment on a small apartment in South End. “She was so excited,” the friend shared in an emotional interview. “She carried exactly $329 that night—the amount she’d scrimped together over weeks. It was her ‘freedom fund,’ she called it.” Iryna had even picked up a brochure from a local real estate office, dreaming of a one-bedroom place with a view of the city skyline.

When authorities recovered Iryna’s bag from the train car, scattered amid the chaos, the cash was nowhere to be found. Only the brochure remained, folded with care next to her ID card. The disappearance has sparked wild speculation: Did Brown steal it during the attack? Was it taken by a panicked passenger in the aftermath? Or could it point to a motive beyond a random act of violence? Investigators have remained tight-lipped, but the missing money adds a layer of intrigue to an already senseless crime.

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The East/West Boulevard station on the Lynx Blue Line, site of the tragic incident.

The aftermath of Iryna’s death has rippled far beyond Charlotte. Her family, devastated, chose to bury her in the U.S., saying she had come to love her adopted home. Candlelight vigils drew hundreds, with murals popping up across the city depicting Iryna as a symbol of resilience. Her story ignited national debates on public safety, mental health, and criminal justice reform. Brown’s history of schizophrenia and failed attempts at treatment highlighted systemic gaps—his family had begged for help, but long wait times for psychiatric beds left him untreated.

Politically, the incident became a flashpoint. Figures like President Donald Trump decried it as a failure of “soft-on-crime” policies, pushing for stricter bail laws and more policing on transit. This led to the swift passage of “Iryna’s Law” in North Carolina, a sweeping crime package that eliminates cashless bail for violent offenses, mandates minimum sentences, and boosts funding for mental health in jails. Governor Josh Stein signed it into law on October 3, 2025, vowing it would prevent future tragedies.

Yet, the enigma of the vanished $329 lingers, fueling online theories and calls for deeper investigation. Iryna’s friend insists the money was real—proof of her determination to build a life free from the shadows of war. “She escaped bombs in Ukraine only to face this,” the friend said. “But why the money? It doesn’t add up.” Family members, still grieving, hope answers will come with Brown’s trial, set for early 2026.

Iryna Zarutska’s life was one of quiet ambition, cut short in a moment of inexplicable violence. From the bomb shelters of Kyiv to the trains of Charlotte, she chased a dream of stability—a small apartment, a new beginning. The folded brochure, now a poignant relic, stands as a reminder of what was lost. But the missing cash? That’s the question keeping everyone up at night. Could solving it reveal a hidden truth about that deadly ride? As the case unfolds, one thing is clear: Iryna’s story isn’t over yet.