Decarlos Brown Jr.

Zarutska murder suspect ‘incapable to proceed’

April 19, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — A motion for a continuance has been filed in the trial of Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail train system last August. The […]

MATTHEWS: Political social media influencers need to do better

April 16, 2026 Stacey Matthews

I’ve been on social media for many years, and one of the most persistent things that has irked me has been all the times I’ve noticed leftist influencers with large followings posting information that either […]

MATTHEWS: There should be nothing offensive about Iryna Zarutska murals

April 9, 2026 Stacey Matthews

When 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was murdered in Charlotte in August 2025, no one had any idea that outrage over her senseless death would go national and international. Many were sickened not just over […]

Cooper, Whatley pitted in Senate race

March 13, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — Former Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley secured their party nominations during last week’s U.S. Senate primary. Unofficially and before provisional totals were added, 824,798 Democratic votes and […]

MATTHEWS: Zarutska case remains flash point in NC Senate race

March 5, 2026 Stacey Matthews

Though the Iryna Zarutska case is still getting a lot of attention here in North Carolina, nationally, it has pretty much fallen out of the headlines, with other stories taking precedence. That changed last Tuesday […]

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Whatley strikes contrast with Cooper ahead of March primary

February 27, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — In an interview with North State Journal ahead of the March 3 primary, North Carolina U.S. Senate Republican candidate Michael Whatley drew a sharp contrast between the priorities of his candidacy and that […]

COVID-era prison release settlement under Cooper linked to suspect in Zarutska murder

February 6, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — An article by Fox News questions if Decarlos Brown Jr. was released under former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s COVID-era prisoner release lawsuit settlement. At the time, the settlement was described as one of the […]

Hearing postponed on crime, safety in Charlotte

February 6, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — A legislative hearing on public safety and crime in Charlotte set for Jan. 29 was postponed to Feb. 9 due to clarification needed regarding a federal court order limiting lawmakers from disseminating materials […]

Federal judge blocks release of files in Zarutska murder case

January 17, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — A federal judge has blocked a legislative committee from case files involving the murder of Iryna Zarutska, the young Ukrainian woman allegedly stabbed to death by Decarlos Brown Jr. on Charlotte’s light rail […]

Attempted break-in highlights crime data disparities

January 16, 2026 A.P. Dillon

RALEIGH — Cities like Charlotte have garnered national attention for a string of homicides in the past six months, including high-profile murders committed on the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). In August, Ukrainian immigrant Iryna […]