Woman dies after being set on fire in New York City subway in 'heinous crime'

NEW YORK (TCN) -- A man is facing murder charges after he allegedly set a woman on fire during an apparent random attack in a subway car, killing her.

According to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, on Sunday, Dec. 22, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the suspect and victim were riding an F train to the end of the line at Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn. When the train pulled into the last stop, the suspect allegedly "calmly" approached the victim, who was "in a seated position," and used a lighter to set her clothes on fire. She became "fully engulfed in a matter of seconds."

Officers in the station reportedly smelled smoke and went to investigate. They noticed the victim on fire and worked with a station employee to extinguish the flames. However, the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Officials do not believe the suspect and victim interacted prior to the attack.

Tisch said the suspect stayed on the scene and sat on a bench outside of the subway car as the situation unfolded. Officers managed to get a clear image of the man on body camera, which police disseminated to the public shortly thereafter. Three high school students called 911 and said they recognized the suspect, who was on the train with them. Others also contacted police to report seeing the suspect on the train.

Police stopped the subway at Harold Square and searched the train until they located and arrested him. He reportedly had a lighter in his pocket when he was taken into custody.

The Associated Press identified the suspect as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly said in a statement that Zapeta was an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who had previously been deported in 2018.

The suspect has not been publicly identified yet.

Zapeta is being charged with murder and arson.

Tisch called the incident "one of the most depraved crimes one person can possibly commit against another human being."

NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said this was "nothing less than a heinous crime."

MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper added, "There is no room in civilized society for people like him."

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