NEW YORK — Authorities in New York City have taken a 33-year-old man into custody on charges of murder and arson connected to the tragic death of a woman who was ignited inside a subway train early Sunday morning.
Sebastian Zapeta was apprehended on Monday following his initial detainment the previous day. The details surrounding his legal representation remain unclear, and it has not been confirmed when he will face an arraignment. According to immigration officials, Zapeta, a native of Guatemala, has a history of deportation and is currently residing in the U.S. without permission.
Police reported that surveillance footage captured the suspect approaching the unnamed woman aboard a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn and then setting her ablaze. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident, stating that the victim’s clothing “became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,” referring to the act as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.”
After igniting the fire, Zapeta reportedly took a seat on a nearby bench, watching as officers and a transit worker attempted to extinguish the flames, according to the police.
In a quick development, Zapeta was apprehended just hours following the release of images depicting the suspect in the incident. According to authorities, three high school students recognized the individual in the images and promptly called 911, leading officers to locate him on a different subway train still wearing the same gray hoodie, wool hat, paint-splattered pants, and tan boots.
Jeff Carter, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stated that Zapeta, after being previously deported to Guatemala in 2018, re-entered the U.S. illegally. The exact circumstances and timeline of his re-entry remain uncertain.
A Brooklyn address linked to Zapeta corresponds with a service center for Samaritan Daytop Village, an organization providing housing and substance abuse support, although they did not respond to inquiries for comments.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez expressed a commitment to prosecuting the case firmly, emphasizing their efforts in ensuring accountability.
Concerns about police presence in the subway system have been raised, as police regularly patrol the subways, supported by a widespread network of surveillance cameras located in stations and subway cars. However, the massive scale of the subway system—with 472 stations and millions of daily riders—presents significant challenges for effective policing.
On the Sunday of the incident, officers were present at the station but were on a different platform, responding swiftly after noticing smoke from the fire.
This incident comes amidst ongoing discussions about crime levels in subway systems. Generally, crime rates in the city’s transit system have shown a decrease compared to preceding years, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reporting a 6% decline in major felonies from January to November this year compared to the same period last year. Conversely, there has been an increase in murders, with nine reported in the transit system this year by November, up from five during the same timeframe last year.
High-profile cases, such as the recent acquittal of Daniel Penny, a military veteran who was involved in a fatal altercation with a troubled subway rider, continue to attract national attention, adding to the anxieties of patrons using the subway.
