A man accused of setting a New York City subway passenger on fire and watching her burn to death says he has ‘no memory’ of the incident.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was arraigned on murder and arson charges on Tuesday afternoon in a Brooklyn court, where he was remanded back to custody. He did not enter a plea and his lawyer did not speak to reporters assembled inside the courthouse.
Authorities allege Zapeta — who federal immigration officials say is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally — calmly approached the woman aboard a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn on Sunday morning and set her clothing ablaze.
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Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was arraigned on murder and arson charges on Tuesday afternoon in a Brooklyn court (
TNS)
Zapeta-Calil later told police that “he drinks a lot of liquor” and “doesn’t know what happened,” a prosecutor said on Tuesday. Zapeta was taken into custody on Sunday, hours after police disseminated images of a suspect in the woman’s death.
Police said three high schoolers called 911 after recognizing the person in the image, and officers found him on another subway train in the same gray hoodie, wool hat, paint-splattered pants and tan boots.
Sebastian Zapeta, 2nd left, accused of setting a woman on fire inside a New York City subway train, appears in court (
AP)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Jeff Carter said Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after he had been previously deported to Guatemala in 2018. It is unclear when and where he reentered the U.S., Carter said.
He was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on Tuesday, appearing before a judge while wearing a white jumpsuit. He did not speak. His next court date is scheduled for Friday.
Horrifying moment woman is burned alive on subway (
Daily Mirror)
Horrifying moment woman is burned alive on subway (
Daily Mirror)
Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg, during Tuesday’s court hearing, alleged Zapeta lit the woman’s clothing on fire and fanned the flames using a shirt. Rottenberg added that under interrogation Zapeta claimed he didn’t know what happened, noting that he consumes alcohol. But he alleged that Zapeta identified himself to interrogators in images of the attack.
A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a service center for Samaritan Daytop Village, which provides housing and substance abuse support. The organization did not respond to a request for comment.
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