Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Illegal Immigrant Faces Murder Charges in Death of Woman Lit on Fire in NYC Subway
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 months ago on
December 23, 2024

New York Police officers clear a train at the Coney Island Stillwell Avenue Terminal, May 5, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A man is facing murder and arson charges in New York City for allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a subway train and then watching her die after she was engulfed in flames, police said Monday.

The suspect, identified by police as Sebastian Zapeta, was taken into custody hours after the woman died on Sunday morning.

Zapeta, 33, is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after he had been previously removed in 2018, said Jeff Carter, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Surveillance video showed the suspect approach the woman, who was sitting motionless and may have been sleeping, on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn and set her clothing on fire, police said.

The woman’s clothing ““became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,” said Jessica Tisch, the New York City police commissioner, while the suspect remained at the scene, watching her burn from a bench on the subway platform as police and a transit worker extinguished the flames.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not yet released her identity.

Tisch called the incident “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.”

Suspect Arrested Sunday

Police arrested Zapeta later Sunday, riding the same subway line, after getting a tip from a group of high school students who recognized images of the suspect that were circulated by police.

It is unclear when and where Zapeta reentered the U.S. after being removed about six years ago.

In a statement, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice.”

“This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences,” he said.

It was unclear if Zapeta has an attorney or when he would be arraigned.

A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a service center for Samaritan Daytop Village, which provides housing and substance abuse support. The organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

National Guard Patrols Subway System

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul this year has sent New York National Guard members to the city’s subway system to help police conduct random searches of riders’ bags for weapons following a series of high-profile crimes on city trains. Hochul recently deployed additional members to help patrol during the holiday season.

About a year ago, Hochul supported funding to install video cameras on every train car in the New York subway system, said Michael Kemper, chief security officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He and other officials on Sunday credited the cameras with helping to track down the suspect so quickly.

 

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

7 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

20 hours ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

For your next trip, have you considered townsizing? What about choosing a detour destination? And instead of forest-bathing, maybe it’...

6 hours ago

6 hours ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

6 hours ago

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

7 hours ago

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

7 hours ago

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

20 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

20 hours ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

20 hours ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

20 hours ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend