The boyfriend of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska said he was heartbroken and blamed a magistrate who had released the man accused of killing her on a cashless bond months before the fatal attack on a Charlotte train.
Stanislav “Stas” Nikulytsia, 21, posted a photo of himself and Zarutska on Instagram on Wednesday accompanied by a broken-heart emoji, his first public statement since the Aug. 22 stabbing. Later he reshared a video on his Instagram story that criticized Magistrate Teresa Stokes for freeing Decarlos Brown on a “written promise” to appear in January, calling the judge “unqualified.” He also changed his Instagram bio to include a mushroom emoji — reported to be a favorite symbol of Zarutska’s — and a broken heart.
Authorities have identified Decarlos Brown as the suspect in the fatal stabbing aboard a Charlotte Area Transit System train on Aug. 22. Police and local reports say Brown had been released by Magistrate Stokes in January on a written promise to appear at future court proceedings. Local media and law enforcement records cited by outlets describe Brown as having more than a dozen prior arrests.
Nikulytsia, who local obituaries described as Zarutska’s “life partner,” has lived with her in Charlotte for about a year after she had previously lived in West Chicago, Illinois. He has used social media to express grief and anger in the days since her death, publicly faulting the magistrate’s earlier decision to free the suspect without a cash bond.
The judge’s January decision to release Brown on a written promise to appear — sometimes referred to as a cashless release — has drawn scrutiny from the victim’s family and others in the community. Records and reporting indicate magistrates have discretion to release defendants on such terms in some circumstances, a practice that is part of broader discussions about pretrial release, public safety and court procedure.
Investigators continue to examine the attack and legal proceedings related to the case are expected to follow. The matter has renewed attention on how magistrates evaluate risk and set conditions for pretrial release, and it has prompted calls from Zarutska’s family and supporters for a review of decisions in the days and months before the stabbing.
Law enforcement and court officials did not immediately publish a public statement responding to Nikulytsia’s social-media posts. The investigation into Zarutska’s death and any subsequent court actions are ongoing.
