A 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant whose name is Sebastin Zapeta has been arrested and charged in court with first-degree arson and first- and second-degree murder in the death of a woman who was set on fire on a Brooklyn subway train.
Zapeta, who had been deported in 2018 after crossing into Arizona illegally, re-entered the U.S. at an unknown time and location. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to lodge an immigration detainer the moment details about his detention can be substantiated.
Setting the woman on fire happened at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station on an F train. The video evidence revealed that Zapeta gently moved toward the victim while she was sleeping then he set her on fire.
Jessica Tisch, the New York City Police Commissioner, tagged the occurrence as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could commit.”
The woman was immediately confirmed dead at the scene, while the culprit, Zapeta, was later arrested on the same subway line with a lighter on him.
The victim’s identity remains undisclosed. Authorities are investigating further while Zapeta remains in custody.
