The horrific killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train has left the world in shock. Since the brutal incident surfaced on social media, there have been multiple theories circulating about the murderer, Decarlos Brown Jr, who has a lengthy rap sheet. But did you know that his family also has a history of crime? Let’s find out more.
Iryna Zarutska’s murder: Viral ‘BLM’ poster sparks racial uproar | Credit: X | tiffanyfong_ and @piersmorgan
From Decarlos’ brother to father: Here’s a quick look at the Brown family’s crime history
According to Fox News, the court and law enforcement records, Stacey Dejon Brown, his older brother, is currently serving a 27- to 36-year prison term for the fatal 2012 robbery of 65-year-old Robert Heym, who was killed with a shotgun.
Jeremiah: Jeremiah, now 19, shared that he was still in elementary school when the murder happened. He recalls watching news coverage of his older brother back then, an experience now mirrored as he sees Brown in the headlines today.
From Decarlos’ brother to father : Criminal records surface | Credit: X | @RealABourgeois
Tracey Vontrea Brown: Tracey Vontrea Brown, Decarlos’ 33-year-old sister, has a documented history of criminal activity that includes charges such as shoplifting, larceny, felony conspiracy, motor vehicle theft, and resisting law enforcement.
Her latest arrests, reported by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, took place in 2024 and involved misdemeanour larceny, shoplifting, and felony conspiracy.
Father Decarlos Brown Sr arrested for weapon possession, felony conspiracy
Their father, Decarlos Brown Sr, has faced multiple criminal charges as well, including breaking and entering, felony conspiracy theft, and unlawfully possessing a weapon on a university campus, as per the New York Post.
Decarlos Brown Jr’s family crime history raises eyebrows | Credit: X | @The_Facts_Dude
Decarlos Brown Jr’s family crime history raises eyebrows
As per these reports and incidents, they reflect a troubling pattern of criminal behaviour within the Brown family, culminating in Brown Jr’s recent federal indictment for the August 2025 killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, described by authorities as a random and unprovoked attack in the US. According to a X (formerly called Twitter) user, “Genetics. Children of Cain.”
Genetics. Children of Cain
— P Cameron (@PCamero95730249) September 14, 2025
Notably, in 2012, Stacey Brown also used Charlotte’s light rail system to escape after murdering Robert Heym. He later pleaded guilty in April 2014 to multiple charges, including second-degree murder, armed robbery, attempted murder, and vehicle break-in.