Pam Bondi says DOJ will seek death penalty for Iryna Zarutska’s killer

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced that the Department of Justice will pursue the death penalty against Decarlos Brown Jr, who is accused of killing Iryna Zarutska on a New York train on August 22.

Bondi condemned the suspect’s history of violence and said that her office was able to bring charges under federal jurisdiction. 

DOJ seeks death penalty for Iryna Zarutska's killer

Speaking to Fox News’ Jesse Watters on Thursday, October 23, Bondi said, “We were able to charge that monster with murder on mass transit.

That’s how we were able to get through the jurisdiction. And of course, I plan on signing a warrant to seek the death penalty in that case”.

She highlighted his criminal record, saying, “He has been arrested fourteen times, and I’m sure he’d be in jail when he murdered that beautiful, innocent young woman.”

NC man faces death penalty for stabbing Ukrainian refugee

Brown Jr, a North Carolina man with a long criminal record, was charged by a federal jury on Wednesday, October 22, for the fatal stabbing of the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train. The charge could lead to his death penalty. 

Brown, 34, was charged in US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, which the Grand Jury found was intentional, making him eligible for the death penalty. 

Brown was arrested on the outbound LYNX blue line platform at the station where the stabbing was reported.

In September, he was charged with a federal count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, while the local police charged him with first-degree murder.

Iryna Zarutska victim's family looks forward to swift justice

Lauren O Newton, an attorney representing the victim's family, said in a statement Thursday that they are “pleased with the indictment and we look forward to swift justice for Iryna.” 

According to Newton, Zarutska was on her way home when she died at the scene. “Her phone’s location alerted them that she was still at the station,” Newton previously said in a statement.

“Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene.”

Zarutska boarded the LYNX blue line train at 9:46 pm. and sat in the empty seat in front of Brown, according to video and a federal complaint.

The complaint said that Brown pulled a knife out of his pocket, unfolded it, and struck Zarutska three times from behind. Brown then walked away, the complaint stated.

Zarutska emigrated to the US after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and was working at a local restaurant.