Categories: US News

Murder charges against migrant after torching woman in NY subway

Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, has been charged with a horrific crime that has sent shockwaves through New York City.

On December 22, the 33-year-old allegedly set a woman on fire inside a subway car, watching as she tragically burned alive.

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has filed five charges against him, including murder and arson. If convicted, Zapeta-Calil faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Victim Still Unidentified

The victim has yet to be identified due to the extent of her injuries. Authorities are appealing to the public for information to help determine her identity. It is believed that the woman was homeless and sleeping on the train at the time of the attack. A memorial service was held on Thursday to honor her memory.

City Stunned by Subway Tragedy

The brutal incident has deeply unsettled New Yorkers, already grappling with rising violence across the city’s subway system. This crime comes amid a series of violent episodes that have heightened public fears.

Echoes of the Daniel Penny Case

Some observers have drawn comparisons to the “Daniel Penny” case, in which a veteran faced charges for fatally restraining an aggressive homeless man but was ultimately acquitted. However, the subway murder reveals a disturbing contrast: no one intervened to help the victim as she was attacked.

The incident underscores growing concerns about safety and humanity within one of the world’s busiest transit systems.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.

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