The boyfriend of the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed has spoken out following her tragic death.
Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death last month (22 August) while travelling on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, North Carolina, with video footage showing the moments leading up to and right after the horrifying incident being released to the public last Friday (5 September).
She was pronounced dead at the scene while 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He has a prior criminal history that includes robbery and larceny convictions, having previously been arrested 14 times.
No motive in the stabbing has been revealed by investigators. Brown Jr.'s mother said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
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The New York Post has named Zarutska's boyfriend as Stanislav 'Stas' Nikulytsia, 21.
He took to Instagram on Thursday (11 September) to share a snap of himself and Zarutska with the caption of a broken heart emoji - his first public statement since her murder.
Nikulytsia, who had been living with his girlfriend for the last year and has been described as Zarutska's 'life partner' in her obituary, has also reposted a number of clips on his Instagram Stories, including one which slammed Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who reportedly freed Zarutska’s alleged killer on cashless bail seven months before the attack.
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Nikulytsia has also posted a selfie of him and Zarutska to his story along with a broken heart emoji.
Zarutska’s family explained that they first feared something had happened when she didn’t arrive home on time, and her phone location 'alerted them that she was still at the station', according to a statement shared with WSOC-9.
"That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon," the statement read. "Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene."
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Zarutska’s family, who came to the US from Ukraine in 2023 to escape the Russia-Ukraine war, have since come forward a few times to speak out on the tragedy, with a spokesperson saying in the statement issued by lawyers and obtained by WSOC-9: "We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way.
"No family should have to go through this."
Zarutska's aunt, Valeria Haskell, has also told the Daily Mail that the family are 'exhausted' after the national storm.
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Speaking near her home in Huntersville, she shared: "I feel like people can't imagine what we are going through."
She said they need 'time' and 'space' and that they do not want to make a 'show' of their grief, adding: "I have no words."
As per the outlet, Haskell said that the family are struggling to cope with the intense interest in the horrific killing, adding that Zarutska's mother, Anna, is too scared to leave the house.
The New York Post also reports that Zarutska's family is asking the public and media to respect her dignity by not reposting the graphic footage of the murder.
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"Iryna will be remembered for her kindness, her creativity, and the lasting impression she left on everyone she met," he obituary reads. "Her absence leaves a deep void, but her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her."
You can support Iryna Zarutska's family via her official obituary website here.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Rhiannon Ingle