A man has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly setting a sleeping woman on fire aboard a New York City subway. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was arrested and charged on Monday with both first- and second-degree murder, as well as arson, following the horrifying incident on an F train in Coney Island, Brooklyn, over the weekend. Police said the attack, which left the woman dead, shocked commuters and sparked a swift investigation.
Authorities noted that Zapeta, who was reportedly set to be arraigned on Monday evening, was apprehended the same day as the attack after three teenagers recognized him from photos released by the NYPD. Surveillance footage from body cameras and subway car cameras allegedly captured Zapeta sitting on the platform, watching as the woman burned to death. The chilling images have raised further alarm over the brutality of the crime.
According to immigration officials, Sebastian Zapeta is in the United States illegally. They revealed that he reentered the country after being deported to Guatemala in 2018. Despite being sent back, Zapeta managed to return to the U.S. at some point after his deportation, which has raised further concerns about his immigration status.
Investigators have confirmed that Sebastian Zapeta did not know the woman he allegedly set on fire, and there was no prior interaction between them before the attack. The unidentified woman was sleeping on an F train when she was set ablaze around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, police said.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch explained in a Sunday evening press conference that Zapeta likely used a lighter to ignite the woman’s clothing, which quickly became engulfed in flames. Officers responding to the scene smelled smoke and found the woman standing inside the subway car, fully ablaze. Despite the quick efforts of a transit worker and officers who used a fire extinguisher, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Unaware that Zapeta had remained nearby, officers later discovered he was sitting on a bench on the platform just outside the train car. Body camera footage from the responding officers provided clear images of the suspect. Three high school students who witnessed the event recognized Zapeta from the photos and immediately contacted 911, leading to his identification.
Based on their tip, detectives arrested Zapeta a few hours later at the 34th Street-Herald Square station. He was found wearing the same clothing described by Tisch and was carrying a lighter in his pocket, authorities said.
On Monday, Sebastian Zapeta was seen handcuffed as officers led him out of the 60th Precinct in Brooklyn. Police confirmed that he resides at a shelter for men in East New York, though the shelter has not yet responded to CBS News New York’s request for comment.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials revealed that Zapeta is an “unlawfully present Guatemalan citizen” who entered the U.S. in 2018 without proper admission from an immigration official. He was deported back to Guatemala within a week, but ICE officials are unsure of when or how he reentered the United States. The agency plans to issue an immigration detainer in collaboration with the NYPD.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez expressed his outrage over the crime, calling it “beyond comprehension.” In a statement, he vowed to ensure that the “gruesome and senseless act” would result in the “most serious consequences.” He emphasized that every New Yorker should feel safe on the subway and promised to pursue justice and accountability in this case.
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