The case of Iryna Zarutska, the young woman who was murdered while traveling by train in the United States, continues to shake many people, and now a new and deeply troubling detail has come to light.
The revelation centers on the release of Decarlos Brown Jr., the man who took the young Ukrainian’s life. Despite having a long criminal record, Brown was released in early 2025 thanks to a decision by Judge Teresa Stokes.
Who is Teresa Stokes, the judge who freed Iryna Zarutska’s killer?
The case has been so severe that even ten members of Congress from North Carolina, led by Tim Moore, sent a formal letter requesting Stokes’s removal. The reason: she authorized Brown’s release in January 2025, even though he had no fewer than 14 prior convictions, including crimes involving violence, theft, and weapons.
Just a few months later, on August 22, Brown attacked Iryna without apparent reason inside a train, stabbing her five times in the neck. For the community, this tragedy could have been avoided had his release not been granted.
Stokes is being criticized not only for the decision to release Brown but also because it was revealed that she owns a “rehabilitation” center—a place where she often sends offenders when handing down more lenient sentences. This has sparked a major debate: does a conflict of interest exist? Was she truly aiming for the social reintegration of these individuals, or was she downplaying the risk they posed to society?
And that is not all. In recent days, a rumor has spread across social media claiming that Judge Stokes does not even hold a law degree, further worsening her situation. Judge Teresa Stokes has not made any public statements, but her name is being mentioned more and more online.