New York City — Investigators working on the disappearance and death of Iryna Zarutska, 29, have made a startling discovery after retrieving her personal metro card from a storm drain near the subway station where she was last seen.
The card — bent cleanly in half, as if deliberately damaged — was recovered during a renewed sweep of the area by forensic teams late Wednesday night. But what’s drawn even more attention are the timestamps stored in the card’s digital record.
Authorities confirm that the time of purchase and entry into the subway system do not align.
“There’s a two-hour gap between when the ticket was bought and when it was actually used,” said a police source familiar with the data. “And during that window, Iryna’s phone was switched off.”
The finding has reignited questions about what happened to Zarutska in the hours before her final known movement underground. Surveillance footage from the station shows her entering alone, clutching her bag tightly — but no video exists showing her exiting any subsequent stop.
The condition of the metro card itself has also raised suspicion. Forensic experts noted that it was bent at the center fold, consistent with deliberate pressure, not accidental damage.
“Someone either tried to destroy it, or send a message,” one investigator said.
Sources also reveal that Iryna had purchased two single-ride tickets that night — one for herself, and another for an “unknown passenger,” whose identity remains under investigation.
Detectives are now cross-referencing digital payment logs and nearby CCTV footage to determine whether a second person accompanied her in those missing two hours.
“This small piece of plastic,” an officer said, “might be the key to understanding her final movements.”
