Ukrainian Refugee Fatally Stabbed on Charlotte Train Honored With Newly Named Butterfly Species

A young Ukrainian woman whose life was cut short in a fatal stabbing aboard a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train is being remembered in an extraordinary way: a newly named butterfly species now carries her name. The tribute honors Iryna Zarutska, 23, whose death shocked communities in the United States and abroad. The scientist behind the dedication hopes the living symbol will preserve her memory for generations.

Harry Pavulaan, president and director of the International Lepidoptera Survey, named the butterfly Iryna’s Azure in her honor. The insect has delicate light-blue wings that can also display a distinct violet-blue tint. It is primarily observed flying in South Carolina during April, according to Pavulaan’s research. He told ABC News that a butterfly offered a particularly meaningful tribute because it is a living organism, allowing Zarutska’s name to endure beyond the immediate attention surrounding her death.

The butterfly had been studied for years before receiving its name. Another researcher first spotted it in South Carolina in 1985, but it had not been formally named. Pavulaan collected and examined specimens after traveling to the region in 2018. Following several years of research, he and a reviewer concluded that the insect represented a previously unrecognized form among Azure butterflies. Pavulaan had already been considering a name for the species, but after seeing news footage of Zarutska’s killing, he decided to accelerate publication of his research and dedicate the butterfly to her.

Zarutska was killed on August 22, 2025, while riding Charlotte’s Blue Line light rail after finishing work at a local pizzeria. According to an affidavit cited by ABC News, she was sitting in front of a man identified as Decarlos Brown Jr. when the train had been traveling for approximately four and a half minutes. The affidavit alleges that Brown took a knife from his pocket and stabbed her three times. Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene, and a witness directed officers toward the suspect.

Zarutska had fled Ukraine with her family and arrived in the United States in 2022, hoping to build a safer future. Her uncle described her as a source of comfort and support for the family. She was learning English at a community college and hoped to study to become a veterinary assistant. Her family later received copies of Pavulaan’s research paper and a framed display of butterflies connected to his work. Pavulaan said Zarutska’s mother responded with a letter describing the dedication as heartfelt.

The butterfly’s name offers a lasting memorial to a young woman whose future held many possibilities. While the criminal case and public debate surrounding her death continued, the scientific tribute gave her family another way to remember her beyond the circumstances of the tragedy. Pavulaan said he hoped the dedication would help ensure that Zarutska would not be forgotten.

Source: ABC News — “Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing Victim ‘Immortalized’ in Name of Butterfly Species.”