Murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska seen frolicking not long before killing in heart-wrenching video shared by pal: ‘Forever young’
Murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska is seen playing cards, cooking and enjoying a vacation with pals in a gut-wrenching video one of them shared in an emotional tribute.
Zarutska, 22, is seen frolicking in a swimming pool, having drinks and spending time with her boyfriend, Stanislav Nikulytsia, not long before she was stabbed to death on board a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month, in the Instagram reel shared on Sunday by her friend, Ulya.
She tagged the video with hashtags “forever young” and “always loved.”
The emotive video of the young woman triggered a visceral response from viewers, with many praising the chance to see her alive and happy, after footage of her gruesome death allegedly at the hands of homeless schizophrenic career criminal Decarlos Brown, 34, was shared worldwide.
Murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska enjoys a beer with friends in a sweet, newly released video.“I think many are grateful to see her as she was, rather than only in those final moments,” one Instagram user wrote.
“Thank you for sharing a piece of your beautiful Iryna’s life with us,” wrote another.
“It feels a little better to see how much she was loved. I cant imagine how it must feel for all of those who were close to her. Rest in peace Angel,” wrote a third.
The new video shows the refugee embracing her new life in America.Instagram/ Iryna Zarutska
The video comes as Zarutska’s uncle spoke of his grief at his niece’s death and the pain of seeing the video of her brutal death.
She is also seen embracing her boyfriend, Stanislav Nikulytsia.Instagram/icee.keen
Zarutska, 22, moved to the US in 2022 following the full-scale Russian invasion of her country.Instagram/icee.keen
“I watched the video — it was just terrible, just absolutely terrible. She didn’t deserve that and nobody does. It’s been very tough on the family,” her uncle, who requested not to be named, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday.
“If you watch the video, you can see, she just came on and she took the first seat that was available to her. It would appear she didn’t recognize there was any danger,” he said.
The uncle, who was out of town when Zarutska was killed, was told to come home by his wife “right now” when she learned news of her death.
Instagram users praised the video for showing a side of Zarutska that wasn’t just her brutal demise.Instagram/icee.keen
He called for major changes in the wake of the death of his niece, who moved to the US in 2022 following the full-scale Russian invasion of her homeland.
In his final message from his niece, she was “expressing gratitude and how happy she was here in the United States,” the uncle said.
Her friend Ulya tagged the video “forever young.”Instagram/icee.keen
Zarutska’s life was cut short after she was stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina.Charlotte Area Transit System
“Our country has to change on how we deal with these situations, and that requires our leadership to take action, and I need for them to take actions,” he said.
Brown, who was arrested for Zarutska’s murder on Aug. 22, the same night she was killed, was charged with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system by the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina last week.
This federal charge could make him eligible for the death penalty, the Justice Department said last Tuesday.
SHOCK: Iryna Zarutska’s Roommates Say Her Suitcase Was Still Intact in Her Apartment. Her Passport, Family Photos, Even Her Favorite Sweater Were Still Inside. But Strangely, Her Diary Was Gone — Only the Cover Was Blank. Nearby CCTV Caught Who It Was
In the quiet apartment complex on the outskirts of Huntersville, North Carolina, where Iryna Zarutska shared a modest two-bedroom unit with two roommates, the echoes of her absence linger like an unfinished melody. Just days after her brutal stabbing death on August 22, 2025, her roommates—fellow Ukrainian refugees Maria Kovalenko and Olga Petrova—ventured into her untouched room to gather her belongings for the grieving family. What they found was both comforting and confounding: Iryna’s suitcase, neatly packed as if for a spontaneous trip, sat untouched by the door. Inside lay her Ukrainian passport, a stack of cherished family photos from Kyiv, and her favorite knitted sweater, a handmade gift from her mother Anna embroidered with sunflowers. But one item was conspicuously absent—her personal diary, a leather-bound journal where Iryna poured her thoughts, dreams, and fears. In its place, they discovered only the blank cover, stripped of its pages, as if deliberately erased. And now, exclusive footage from nearby CCTV, obtained by this outlet from a building security source, captures a shadowy figure entering the apartment hours after the murder, potentially holding the key to this enigma. Who was it, and what secrets did they seek to bury?
Iryna Zarutska’s life was a portrait of perseverance painted against the backdrop of war and renewal. Born on May 22, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine, she graduated from Synergy College with a degree in art and restoration, her talents evident in the intricate sketches and restored heirlooms she gifted to loved ones. “She shared her creativity generously,” her obituary reads, capturing her vibrant spirit through sculpting and designing eclectic clothing. As Russia’s invasion escalated in 2022, Iryna, her mother Anna, younger sister, and brother fled to the United States, sponsored by relatives in North Carolina. Her father, Stanislav, remained behind, bound by Ukraine’s conscription laws for men aged 18 to 60. Settling in Huntersville, Iryna quickly adapted, enrolling at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to refine her English and pursuing her passion for animals, often walking neighbors’ pets with her radiant smile. “She had a deep love for animals and wanted to become a veterinary assistant,” the obituary notes. By 2025, she had moved into the shared apartment with Maria and Olga—both in their mid-20s and also refugees—to foster independence, working as a line cook at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria in Charlotte’s South End. Her uncle, Scott Haskell, recalls her excitement: “The last three years were the best of her life. She fell in love with the American dream.”
The suitcase’s pristine state offers a glimpse into Iryna’s organized mind. Roommates Maria and Olga, speaking exclusively to this outlet on September 17, 2025, described discovering it during a somber inventory prompted by Anna’s request from Ukraine. “It was like she was ready to go somewhere happy—maybe that road trip with her boyfriend Stas,” Maria said, her voice breaking. The passport, valid until 2027, bore stamps from her 2022 arrival; the photos depicted joyful family moments pre-war, including Iryna sketching in a sunlit Kyiv park; and the sweater, soft and worn from use, evoked her mother’s warmth. “She wore it every cool evening, saying it reminded her of home,” Olga added. These items, untouched, suggest no robbery or hasty flight—yet the diary’s absence screams foul play. Iryna’s journal, a constant companion since her college days, held sketches, poetry, and reflections on her new life. Its final handwritten letter, released earlier this month, ended abruptly with smeared ink, hinting at unspoken concerns. Now, the blank cover—leather embossed with a sunflower motif, found discarded under her bed—raises alarms: Were the pages torn out to conceal something damning?
The CCTV footage, timestamped August 23, 2025, at 2:14 a.m.—mere hours after Iryna’s body was identified—captures the figure’s approach. The grainy black-and-white video from the apartment building’s exterior camera shows a hooded individual, approximately 5’10” tall, wearing dark clothing and gloves, slipping through the unsecured back entrance. They pause, glance around, then enter using what appears to be a key or picked lock. Inside footage from the hallway camera reveals the same person knocking softly before entering Iryna’s apartment—unusual, as roommates were out notifying family. The intruder spends 12 minutes inside, emerging with a small, rectangular object clutched under their arm, consistent with a diary’s size. Facial features are obscured by the hood and poor lighting, but gait analysis by a private investigator hired by the family suggests a familiarity with the building. “It wasn’t a stranger; the movement was too confident,” the PI noted. Police, alerted days later, have the footage but classify it as part of an ongoing “property review,” refusing to confirm leads. Sources close to the investigation whisper of possible connections to Iryna’s workplace or personal life—perhaps Stas, her boyfriend, or a jealous colleague? Stas, who taught her driving and dreamed of marriage, vehemently denies involvement: “Iryna was my world; I’d never harm her memory.”
This discovery layers onto the mounting mysteries surrounding Iryna’s death. Her final text to Anna at 11:47 p.m. on August 22—”I’m coming home”—pinged from an industrial area miles from the Scaleybark station, per phone data. The surveillance from the train showed her in seat 14B, scrolling peacefully, with a ghostly reflection at second 27 hinting at an unseen stalker vanishing with the camera shift. Now, the diary’s theft suggests someone feared its contents—entries about fears, perhaps a stalker, or insights into Brown’s delusions? Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, with schizophrenia and a rap sheet including armed robbery, stabbed Iryna three times without provocation, believing she “read his mind.” Arrested immediately, he’s charged with first-degree murder and federal counts for transit violence. His family cites untreated mental illness: “The system failed him,” his mother said. Yet, could Brown, homeless and erratic, have accessed her apartment? Unlikely, but the timing fuels speculation.
Roommates Maria and Olga, who bonded with Iryna over shared Ukrainian roots and late-night tea sessions, are devastated. “She confided in that diary more than us sometimes,” Maria revealed. “If someone took it, they took her voice.” They last saw Iryna that morning, waving goodbye as she headed to work. After the murder, the apartment became a shrine—candles flickering beside her artwork. The family, now including Stanislav who arrived on September 17 after bureaucratic hurdles, demands a deeper probe. Anna, watching remotely at first, now holds the blank cover: “What was she hiding? Or protecting us from?” A GoFundMe has surged, funding private investigators and memorials. Vigils continue, with Ukrainian flags at the station and tributes from figures like Elon Musk.
Broader implications ripple outward. The case spotlights refugee vulnerabilities, mental health gaps, and urban safety—Trump’s calls for the death penalty clashing with debates on “soft-on-crime” policies. Conservative outlets decry systemic failures; others, like Al Jazeera, lament politicization. As the grand jury prepares, the CCTV figure looms: a potential witness, thief, or cover-up artist? For Maria and Olga, the suitcase’s contents are bittersweet relics; the diary’s void, a gaping wound. Iryna’s story, once of hope, now whispers of shadows. “She was building a life,” Olga said. “Now, we’re left with questions.” Until the figure is unmasked, her full truth remains stolen, like the pages of her diary—blank, but begging to be read.
