Sebastian Zapeta, the individual suspected of committing arson on the New York City subway, is scheduled to appear in court.
The individual charged with igniting a fire that resulted in the death of a woman on the New York City subway is set to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday morning following his indictment on murder and arson charges.
On December 22, Sebastian Zapeta, a Guatemalan national, allegedly set fire to the clothing of a woman who was sleeping, used his shirt to fan the flames, and then sat on a nearby bench while the woman was consumed by fire. According to officials, police officers present at the Brooklyn subway station responded upon noticing smoke but were unable to extinguish the flames before the woman succumbed to her injuries.
The indictment, which has drawn significant media attention as part of a series of subway incidents in New York, is expected to be unsealed on Tuesday morning, as confirmed by Oren Yaniv, Director of Communications for the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. Last month, a grand jury indicted the 33-year-old Zapeta on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and first-degree arson, as indicated in court documents.
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He waived his right to attend the hearing on December 27. Authorities have identified the victim as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam from Toms River, New Jersey, located in the central region of the state along the Jersey Shore. During a press conference, New York City Mayor Eric Adams mentioned that Kawam had a "brief stint in our homeless shelter system," although he did not clarify her current housing status. Some observers, referencing video evidence, have criticized police officers for seemingly standing by as the fire spread. In response, police stated that one officer seen in the footage near Kawam was attempting to manage the crime scene while others sought fire extinguishers and called for assistance from Metropolitan Transit Authority personnel.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted that Kawam "became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds." Although the flames were eventually extinguished, Kawam was pronounced dead at the scene.
The individual in question was residing in the United States without legal authorization. Zapeta, facing a first-degree murder charge that could result in a life sentence without the possibility of parole, had been living in the U.S. unlawfully following his deportation in 2018. According to officials, he had been residing at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn. There is currently no information regarding any potential connection between Kawam and Zapeta, and investigators have yet to disclose a motive for the incident. Zapeta was apprehended just hours after the event on December 22, when teenagers in Midtown Manhattan recognized him on the subway and alerted law enforcement. His attorney has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
