Migrant charged with murder and arson after NYC subway attack

Dec 27, 2024

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

The suspect accused of setting a woman on fire while she slept on a New York City subway earlier this week has been indicted by a grand jury. The 33-year-old is now facing multiple charges, including murder and arson, according to New York prosecutors.

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A grand jury indicted Sebastian Zapeta on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and one count of first-degree arson, said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

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“I want to assure the people of this city that this office will do everything in our power to hold him accountable,” Gonzalez told reporters. “This was a malicious deed –– a sleeping vulnerable woman on our subway system.”

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack, saying, “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim. The female victim was in a seated position. The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen. They say he was deported on June 7, 2018, during the first Trump administration.

Zapeta later re-entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date, and DHS said he will again face removal proceedings. He was also reportedly staying at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, according to police.

The indictment will be unsealed during Zapeta’s arraignment, scheduled for Jan. 7.

The medical examiner and police are still working to identify the victim.

Tags: Immigrant, migrants, New York, New York City

THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT SUSPECT, ACCUSED OF SETTING A WOMAN A WOMAN ON FIRE WHILE SHE SLEPT ON A NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY EARLIER THIS WEEK, IS NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER AND ARSON, ACCORDING TO NEW YORK PROSECUTORS.

A GRAND JURY INDICTED SEBASTIAN ZAPETA – WHO IS 33 YEARS OLD AND CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, TWO COUNTS OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND ONE COUNT OF ARSON IN THE FIRST DEGREE SAYS BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ERIC GONZALEZ.

“I WANT TO ASSURE THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY THAT THIS OFFICE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE,” BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ERIC GONZALEZ TOLD REPORTERS. “THIS WAS A MALICIOUS DEED, A SLEEPING VULNERABLE WOMAN ON OUR SUBWAY SYSTEM.”

POLICE COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH DESCRIBED THE ATTACK SUNDAY SAYING “AS THE TRAIN PULLED INTO THE STATION, THE SUSPECT CALMLY WALKED UP TO THE VICTIM. THE FEMALE VICTIM WAS IN A SEATED POSITION. THE SUSPECT USED WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A LIGHTER TO IGNITE THE VICTIM’S CLOTHING, WHICH BECAME FULLY ENGULFED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.”

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CONFIRMED THE SUSPECT IS A GUATEMALAN CITIZEN WHO WAS DEPORTED UNDER PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP’S FIRST ADMINISTRATION ON JUNE 7, 2018.

ZAPETA LATER RE-ENTERED THE U-S ILLEGALLY ON AN UNKNOWN DATE AND DHS SAYS WILL FACE REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS. ZAPETA WAS REPORTEDLY STAYING AT A HOMELESS SHELTER IN BROOKLYN, ACCORDING TO POLICE.

THE INDICTMENT IS SET TO BE UNSEALED FOR ZAPETA’S ARRAIGNMENT ON JANUARY 7TH.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND POLICE ARE STILL WORKING ON IDENTIFYING THE FEMALE VICTIM.