Latest
Charlotte light rail murder suspect ruled incompetent to stand trial as history of crazed claims trails case
The man accused of killing a young woman on a North Carolina light-rail train has been deemed incompetent to stand trial following a mental evaluation, according to newly released court documents.
Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged in the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska, 23, while aboard the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte on Aug. 22, 2025.
However, a report stemming from Brown’s time as a patient at Central Regional Hospital determined he was “incapable to proceed” in his upcoming criminal trial, according to court documents obtained by Fox News.
Brown, a homeless man diagnosed with schizophrenia, is currently in federal custody on separate charges relating to the alleged murder.
CHARLOTTE RAIL MURDER SUSPECT LINKED TO INMATE RELEASE APPROVED UNDER EX-DEM GOVERNOR, GOP ALLEGES
Brown’s attorneys have since asked the court to reschedule a hearing scheduled for April 30, noting that any attempt to “restore capacity” regarding his mental state cannot be established while he remains in federal custody.
The request will ultimately delay Brown’s case as he awaits a psychiatric evaluation.
Brown, a parolee with numerous run-ins with the law, reportedly has a history of mental illness, according to family members.
IRYNA’S LAW BRANDED ‘POLITICAL AGENDA’ AS SHERIFF WARNS OF JAIL OVERCROWDING
By March 2024, authorities had already documented six interactions with Brown, including various welfare checks in response to repeated 911 calls he made, according to The New York Times.
Just one year later, Brown placed a 911 call from Novant Presbyterian Hospital in which he said he needed help removing a “man-made” material that was controlling him, the Charlotte Observer reported.
When officers arrived on scene, they reportedly told him they were unable to help.
IRYNA ZARUTSKA’S FAMILY DEMANDS JUSTICE IN FIRST STATEMENT SINCE ‘HORRIFIC’ STABBING
Brown made similar claims in a jailhouse phone call to his sister just days after Zarutska’s alleged murder.
In the call obtained by the Daily Mail, Brown said he did not understand why he stabbed the 23-year-old refugee while claiming that the government had implanted “materials” in his brain that were “controlling” his actions.
“They just lashed out on her, that’s what happened,” Brown said. “Whoever was working the materials they lashed out on her. That’s all there is to it. Now they really gotta investigate what my body was exposed to… Now they gotta do an investigation as to who was the motive behind what happened.”
Surveillance video shows Zarutska entering the train car and sitting down in front of Brown.
Roughly four minutes later, Brown allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed her three times from behind before departing the train.
Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene, with Brown being taken into custody minutes later on the light rail platform.
Brown is facing both federal and state charges stemming from the alleged attack, and is expected to remain in federal custody as he awaits trial.
A U.S. magistrate judge previously ordered a second federal psychiatric exam ahead of his pending case, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Brown’s attorney has reportedly asked that his state hearing be postponed for six months, with prosecutors agreeing with the delay.
Brown’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Latest
Danica McKellar names the ‘Wonder Years’ co-star she’s ‘closest with’ decades after show’s end
Danica McKellar made lifelong friends during her time as a child actress.
During an interview with Fox News Digital, the 51-year-old star shared who she is closest to from her former “The Wonder Years” cast members, noting they see each other “here and there.”
“We try to see each other. Not so much with Fred [Savage]. We text every now and then, but I see Josh [Saviano] sometimes when I’m in New York, and Dan Lauria for sure. Dan is the one I’m the closest with,” she said. “And then a lot of us were all at a convention, an autograph convention in 2024, and that was really fun. I think it was all of us except for Fred.”
When they do manage to get together, McKellar said, “it’s just great to see everybody.”
McKellar was 12 years old when she landed the role of Winnie Cooper in the hit show, and was 18 when the show aired its final season in 1993.
WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR KEEPS IN TOUCH THE MOST WITH THIS ‘WONDER YEARS’ CO-STAR
As members of the cast get older, they are able to be there as each of them reaches certain milestones, such as Jason Hervey becoming a grandfather, and all of them turning 50.
“Fred’s going to turn 50 in July,” she said. “And once he turns 50 — he was the youngest of all of us — at that point… we’ll all be 50-plus. Pretty wild.”
The show aired on ABC for six seasons from 1988 to 1993, and in that time won four Emmy Awards for writing and directing.
In addition to acting, McKellar has made a name for herself as an author and a mathematician, writing many math books, including “Math Doesn’t Suck,” which focuses on middle school-level math, “Kiss My Math,” for those looking for help with pre-algebra, and more advanced books such as “Hot X: Algebra Exposed” and “Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape.”
WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR REACTS TO ALL THE ‘WONDER YEARS’ CAST MEMBERS TURNING 50
The “Swing Into Romance” star is gearing up to release her new book, “I Love You 100,” which she will present at the 31st annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, taking place at the University of Southern California on April 18 and 19.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“I am so excited to be returning to the LA Times Festival of Books. It’s been so many years, and I love this event,” she told Fox News Digital.
As the nation’s largest literary festival, the LA Times Festival of Books features over 550 authors, poets and storytellers, as well as hundreds of exhibitors, and free outdoor activities, including panels, cooking demos, and live music. McKellar’s favorite part is the people.
“It’s a great event. I love talking to audiences, especially book lovers, because I just feel like in today’s society, today’s world, we need more people who love books, and let’s celebrate people who love books and love reading books. And I just love seeing the faces of teachers, parents, sometimes there’s a bunch of kids in the audience too, which I also love.”
When it comes to reading and writing books, McKellar previously told Fox News Digital that she credits her focus on her education as the reason she managed to avoid the devastating downfall experienced by many child stars when they get older.
“When I got done with ‘The Wonder Years,’ I graduated from high school within a couple months, went to UCLA, got a degree in mathematics, and that’s why I write math books in addition to continuing to be an actress.”
McKellar has since starred in a number of films with Great American Family, including “Grounded in Love,” “Have We Met this Christmas” and “A Royal Christmas Ball.”
WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR WILL PRESENT HER NEW BOOK AT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
She told Fox News Digital she considers herself “fortunate to be making my movies on Great American Family Channel,” as there is less pressure to be “a sex symbol in my 50s.”
“I mean, I still want to put cute dresses on and look attractive and work out and show off my abs here and there or whatever, but it’s not the ideal of Hollywood, and I don’t feel like I need to try to do that,” she explained.
Latest
Cowboy chef says phones and screens at dinner are tearing American families apart
“Cowboy” Kent Rollins has spent decades cooking for ranches across America, but his message goes far beyond cast-iron pans and campfire tips.
The longtime chuck wagon cook and TV personality is urging Americans to put down their phones at the dinner table, saying the habit is taking away from family connections.
“There are more people sitting at a table now, whether it’s at a restaurant or at home, holding a cell phone instead of a fork,” Rollins, based in New Mexico, told Fox News Digital in an interview.
COWBOY CHEF SHARES 6 SURVIVAL COOKING TRICKS FOR MINUS-30 WIND CHILLS AND 117-DEGREE HEAT
Known for his appearances on the Food Network and his Outdoor Channel show “Cast Iron Cowboy,” Rollins said he believes the simple act of gathering to share a meal without digital distractions can strengthen families and communities.
“America would be a better place all the way around if we still all gathered around the table, took our hats off, held hands, thanked God for what we have and the blessings that we’re getting every day, and thanked him for the meal and the hands that prepared it,” he said.
As modern life becomes increasingly fast-paced and tech-driven, Rollins suggests returning to more traditional mealtime habits, which he said can have a meaningful impact.
“The world has sort of gotten away from that, but let’s all get gathered back up at that table,” he urged.
While about 55% of Americans report eating dinner with family, 63% say they watch TV during the meal and 28% say they use their phones, while just 41% say they talk with others at the table, according to a YouGov survey conducted last year.
But for Rollins, the dinner table has long served as more than just a place to eat.
“As my mother said, it’s not the legs of the table that hold it up,” he recalled. “It’s the family around it.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
That means “keep that phone in your pocket, enjoy the food and don’t forget to bless it,” he said.
Looking back, Rollins said some of his strongest memories come from Sunday dinners after church, when families gathered in the kitchen to prepare and share a meal together.
“Whether it be an old pot roast that they pulled out of an oven or a double fried chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes, beans, you know, and bread and cobbler, and you sit down — that’s family,” he said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
Those moments went beyond feeding the body, he added.
“Not only is it nourishing your stomach, but you’re getting that bond that you need from other people to give you strength,” Rollins said. “You shared a story, you shared laughter, and you shared love.”
Even as he shares cooking tips — from simple oven-baked ribs to proper grill care heading into spring — Rollins grounds his approach to food in simplicity.
He spreads that message through his growing platform, including his YouTube channel, which has millions of subscribers, his Outdoor Channel series and his new podcast, “Cowboy Coffee Hour,” which he hosts with his wife.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“If cooking was really difficult, I never would have made it,” he said. “Life is simple and don’t complicate cooking with it.”
He added, “Gather your friends and your family around the table, bless the food and have a good time because, hey, summer’s coming, and it’s time to eat.”
Latest
Hungarians vote in record numbers as Trump-ally Viktor Orbán faces biggest electoral threat since 2010
The U.S. and Europe are watching closely as Hungarians turned out in record numbers to vote Sunday in a high-stakes election that sets up Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, supported by President Donald Trump, against his former political ally, Péter Magyar.
Trailing in the opinion polls, Orbán received a major boost earlier this week when Vice President JD Vance visited the country, making clear what the administration’s position was on the importance of having a pro-U.S. candidate in the heart of Europe, as so many of its continental allies have proven lackluster, most notably for a lack of help in the war against Iran.
In his remarks, Vance made clear why he was there. “The reason why we’re doing it is because we thought there was so much garbage happening against Viktor in this election that we had to show that there are actually a lot of people and a lot of friends across the world who recognize that Viktor and his government are doing a good job, and they’re important partners for peace,” he said at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, a private university in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. “That’s why we’re here, but ultimately the Hungarian people are going to be sovereigns because that’s how it should be.”
TRUMP CALLS INTO VANCE-ORBAN HUNGARY EVENT: ‘MY KIND OF PEOPLE’
Following Vance’s return to the U.S., Trump weighed in on Truth Social Friday: “My Administration stands ready to use the full economic might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy, as we have done for our great allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian People ever need it. We are excited to invest in the future prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued leadership!”
Beloved by many older and more rural Hungarians and reviled by detractors, Orbán has emerged as the country’s most consequential leader since its transition to democracy at the end of the Cold War. Still, the election campaign has become intense.
Orbán’s strained relationship with the European Union comes from his positioning on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his country’s firm support of Israel and his hard stance on not accepting migrants, which led to EU financial sanctions for his refusal to open the country’s border to foreigners.
During the 16-year Orbán government, the Hungarian economy has grown relatively quickly for an EU country. The country’s GDP per capita (what the average person earns annually) rose to nearly $17,000 last year, up from approximately $12,000 in 2014, according to Trading Economics data. However, it’s not all good. Inflation has recently been relatively high at an annual rate of 4.9%, and business sentiment has been consistently negative since August 2022.
TRUMP SAYS HUNGARY’S BORDER STANCE KEEPS CRIME DOWN, SAYS EUROPE ‘FLOODING’ WITH MIGRANTS
The polls shows Magyar’s Tisza party with 50% of the vote and Orbán’s Fidesz party behind at 39% as of April 9, according to Politico. Magyar now poses the largest electoral threat to Orbán since 2010.
“The polls are going well for the opposition,” Daniel Wood, portfolio manager at William Blair Investment Management, told Fox News Digital. “If the opposition wins, there’s a chance that the EU unlocks the frozen funds, which are around 7% of the GDP.”
Speaking to reporters outside a polling station Sunday, Orbán, 62, said the campaign had been “a great national moment on our side” and thanked activists and supporters for their work. “I’m here to win,” the Associated Press reported.
In an interview earlier in the week, Magyar complained the EU’s longest-serving leader has led the country on a “180-degree turn” in recent years, endangering its Western orientation while cozying up to Moscow. Yet despite that drift, “Hungarians still see that Hungary’s peace and development are guaranteed by membership of the European Union and NATO,” Magyar said. “I think this really will be a referendum on our country’s place in the world,” he told the Associated Press.
Results are expected later Sunday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
Politics3 weeks agoPentagon targets Iran-linked militias in Iraq as Hegseth vows ‘we will finish this’ for fallen US troops -
News3 weeks agoInside Joe Kent’s abrupt fall as GOP backlash grows over antisemitism accusations, FBI probe
-
Entertainment9 years ago9 Celebrities who have spoken out about being photoshopped
-
News2 days agoAll Hell Breaks Loose On Fox When Jesse Watters Asks Fetterman One Question
-
News5 days agoJD Vance Sparks Frenzy After His Jaw-Dropping Take On Trump’s Iran War
-
News2 weeks agoTop Democrat Arrested By Capitol Police – Dragged Out In Handcuffs
-
News2 weeks agoALERT: Entire Election Just FLIPPED!
-
Latest3 weeks ago
Chicago police detail how illegal immigrant accused of killing college student was caught: arrest report
