Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of fatally setting a woman on fire on a Brooklyn subway, pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. The 33-year-old Guatemalan national faces charges of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and arson. Prosecutors allege Zapeta ignited the victim's clothing and then watched her burn as bystanders attempted to extinguish the flames.
Zapeta, who reportedly entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and was subsequently deported before returning at an unspecified date, offered an apology during his interrogation, claiming a drunken blackout. "I am very sorry. I didn't mean to. But I really don't know, I don't know what happened, but I'm very sorry for that woman," he stated, according to a translated transcript.
The victim, identified as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam from Toms River, New Jersey, suffered severe burns that delayed identification for over a week. Zapeta's defense attorney requested medical attention for his client, but details were not disclosed. The judge ordered Zapeta held without bail.
Zapeta recounted his activities leading up to the incident, telling detectives he worked in Brooklyn, went to a bar in Queens, and then took the subway. He claimed to have purchased more beers before the attack occurred around 7 a.m. He admitted to frequent blackouts related to alcohol consumption, stating, "Sometimes, when I drink and erase the memory, and I don't known right? When I wake up, I'm already in the house… Or there are times when I wake up, and I'm already at the train station…or on the train…"
NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack as horrific, stating Zapeta "calmly walked up to the victim" and used a lighter to ignite her clothing. Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, found the surveillance footage too disturbing to watch in its entirety. Zapeta reportedly admitted to detectives that the video depicted him, although he claimed no memory of the event.
Three teenagers on another train recognized Zapeta from a wanted poster and alerted authorities, leading to his arrest. He faces a maximum sentence of life without parole if convicted.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez called the crime "atrocious and horrific" and pledged to seek the maximum penalty. Zapeta's next court appearance is scheduled for March 12.
