Prosecutors have charged Sebastian Zapeta with murder and arson following the horrifying death of a woman set alight on a New York subway train.
Zapeta, 33, was indicted on Friday, though he did not appear at the brief court hearing.
Authorities allege that Zapeta ignited the victim’s clothing using a lighter and fanned the flames with a shirt. Police say the attack, which occurred on a stationary train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn last Sunday, was unprovoked.
The victim, who remains unidentified, died at the scene despite officers extinguishing the flames.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.” She explained that officers responding to the fire initially did not realise the suspect remained on the platform.
“Unbeknownst to the officers, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car,” Tisch said.
Zapeta later left the scene but was recognised in police-distributed images by three high school students, leading to his arrest. Surveillance footage and body camera footage captured the suspect’s actions, and prosecutors revealed he identified himself in photos and video evidence.
At a preliminary hearing, prosecutor Ari Rottenberg stated that Zapeta told investigators he had been drinking and did not recall the incident.
Originally from Guatemala, Zapeta was deported from the US in 2018 and later re-entered the country illegally, according to immigration officials. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has called for federal authorities to pursue additional arson charges, describing the crime as “a level of evil that cannot be tolerated.”
A vigil was held on Thursday evening for the victim, whose severe burns have complicated identification efforts. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez confirmed that authorities are using fingerprints and DNA to confirm her identity.
Zapeta, who has been held without bail since his arrest, is scheduled to return to court on 7 January.
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