 H.a.u.nting Evidence: Iryna Zarutska’s 11 Voicemails End With a 12-Second Recording of Footsteps… and Silence 
In the weeks following the brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train, a new layer of intrigue has gripped the public: reports of 11 voicemails left on her phone that night, culminating in a 12-second recording capturing faint footsteps and then abrupt silence. The audio, allegedly leaked from her device and circulating on social media, has sparked widespread speculation about what Zarutska might have witnessed or heard in her final moments. While authorities have not officially confirmed the recordings’ authenticity, the claim has intensified scrutiny on the investigation, blending grief with conspiracy theories in a case already fraught with controversy over public safety and media coverage.
The voicemails, described in anonymous online posts and discussed on platforms like X and Reddit, purportedly begin as routine check-ins from family and friends. Zarutska, who had just finished her shift at a South End pizzeria on August 22, 2025, around 9:30 p.m., is said to have missed several calls as she boarded the Lynx Blue Line at Scaleybark station. The first few messages reportedly include lighthearted banter from her boyfriend, Dmytro Kovalenko, asking about her day, and concerned queries from her uncle, Oleh Zarutskyi, back in Ukraine. As the night progressed, the tone shifts: one voicemail from a coworker notes her absence from a group chat, while another from a friend expresses worry over her delayed responses.
But it’s the 11th voicemail that has sent chills across the nation. According to descriptions from those claiming to have heard it—shared in viral threads on X under hashtags like #ZarutskaVoicemails—the recording lasts exactly 12 seconds. It begins with ambient train noise: the hum of rails, distant announcements, and then, unmistakably, the sound of approaching footsteps. The steps grow louder, deliberate, before cutting off into dead silence, as if the call was suddenly terminated. “It’s like something out of a horror movie,” one X user posted on September 24, amassing over 10,000 retweets. “Footsteps getting closer, then nothing. Did she drop the phone? Or was it something worse?”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officials have remained tight-lipped on the matter. In a September 25 press conference, Chief Johnny Jennings addressed the rumors indirectly, stating, “We’re aware of circulating audio claims, but we won’t comment on evidence until it’s verified through proper channels.” Sources close to the investigation, speaking anonymously to outlets like Fox News, suggest the phone was recovered from the crime scene, bloodied but intact, and is being forensically analyzed by federal agents. The U.S. Department of Justice, which took over the case on September 9, charging suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, has subpoenaed Zarutska’s phone records from her carrier. Prosecutors are exploring whether the voicemails could provide timestamps or audio clues linking to the attack.
Brown, 34, a Mecklenburg County resident with a lengthy rap sheet including armed robbery and assault, allegedly stabbed Zarutska three times from behind—once in the shoulder, once in the back, and fatally in the neck—around 9:50 p.m. Surveillance footage, released on September 5, shows him pulling a pocketknife from his orange hoodie before lunging. Zarutska, seated with her back to him and engrossed in her phone, never had a chance to react. She was pronounced dead at the scene by 10:02 p.m., as Brown attempted to flee but was apprehended by responding officers.
The voicemail narrative adds a haunting dimension to an already tragic story. Zarutska, born in Kyiv on May 22, 2002, had escaped the Russian invasion in 2022, enduring months of bombings before resettling in Charlotte with her family. An artist with a degree in Art and Restoration, she was building a new life: attending community college, working late shifts, and sharing optimistic posts on Instagram. Her last known text, sent to Kovalenko at 9:30 p.m., read, “Shift over, heading home soon.” If the voicemails are real, they paint a picture of a young woman oblivious to the danger closing in—perhaps leaving her phone on voice record or accidentally butt-dialing during the chaos.
Social media has exploded with theories. Some speculate the footsteps belong to Brown, suggesting Zarutska sensed his approach and tried to call for help. Others tie it to prior rumors, like the alleged camera shutdown post-attack, claiming a broader cover-up. “11 voicemails ending in footsteps and silence? This screams foul play,” tweeted conservative commentator Benny Johnson on September 23, linking it to criticisms of Democratic-led cities’ handling of crime. Fox News host Sean Hannity devoted a segment on September 24, calling the audio “bone-chilling evidence that demands full disclosure.” Even Elon Musk weighed in on X, posting “Disturbing if true” in response to a thread about the recordings, amplifying it to his millions of followers.
Critics on the left, however, urge caution. Rev. Dr. William Barber, a North Carolina civil rights leader, told CNN on September 25, “We mustn’t let unverified leaks distract from the real issues: mental health, bail reform, and systemic violence.” The New York Times, in a September 13 op-ed, warned against the “flood of moment-of-death content” on social media, citing Zarutska’s case as an example of how raw material can fuel misinformation. Fact-checkers like Snopes have labeled the voicemail claims “unconfirmed,” noting that early reports confused them with a four-second voice message mentioned in a now-deleted Facebook post, which allegedly captured train station sounds but lacked footsteps.
Zarutska’s family, reeling from the loss, has mixed reactions. Uncle Oleh Zarutskyi, who attended a vigil on September 22, told ABC News in a follow-up interview, “If these recordings exist, they could bring closure—or more pain. But Iryna’s memory shouldn’t be twisted by rumors.” A GoFundMe for her funeral and a scholarship fund has now exceeded $250,000, with donors citing the “haunting evidence” as motivation. Kovalenko, her boyfriend, issued a statement through attorneys: “These alleged voicemails reopen wounds. We want justice, not speculation.”
Politically, the story continues to reverberate. “Iryna’s Law,” passed by North Carolina’s General Assembly on September 25, eliminates cashless bail for violent felonies and funds transit security upgrades. Governor Josh Stein, facing pressure, signed it into law on September 26, stating, “This honors Iryna by preventing future tragedies.” President Donald Trump, referencing the case in a rally speech on September 20, blasted “soft-on-crime Democrats” and promised federal crackdowns. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, has defended her administration, announcing 50 new transit officers and AI-enhanced cameras, but opponents like Councilman Edwin Peacock III accuse her of downplaying the voicemail angle to avoid scrutiny.
Experts weigh in on the audio’s potential impact. Criminologist James Alan Fox of Northeastern University told the New York Post, “If authenticated, it could corroborate timelines or reveal accomplices—though footsteps alone prove little.” Tech analysts note that modern smartphones often auto-record voicemails, and metadata could verify authenticity. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s probe into Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) now includes reviewing phone data protocols for emergencies.
As Brown’s competency hearing nears on October 15, the focus sharpens. His family maintains his schizophrenia and substance issues warrant treatment over execution, while prosecutors push for the death penalty. Amid it all, the 12-second silence lingers as a symbol: of a life cut short, of unanswered questions, and of a nation’s struggle with vulnerability on public transit.
Vigils persist, with a September 26 gathering at East/West Boulevard station drawing crowds chanting “Justice for Iryna.” Signs read “Break the Silence” and “Hear Her Voice.” For many, the voicemails—real or rumored—humanize a statistic, reminding us that behind the headlines was a woman with dreams, now echoed in footsteps fading to nothing.