Police identify woman killed after being lit on fire on NYC subway

Dec 31, 2024

Listen

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

Authorities identified the woman killed after being set on fire while seated on a Brooklyn subway car on Sunday, Dec. 22. The New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed her identity as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam from Toms River, New Jersey on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Investigators said that they identified her through fingerprint, dental and DNA evidence.

Authorities said that they believe Kawam was homeless and sleeping on the subway when she was lit on fire.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that she had a “brief stint” in the city’s shelter system and said the incident was tragic in more ways than one.

“It really reinforces what I’ve been saying,” Adams said. “People should not be living on our subway system. They should be in a place of care, and no matter where she lived that should not have happened. But, we have far too many people that believe they should be living on our subway system and living on the streets, and we can’t throw our hands up and allow that to happen.”

Adams offered his condolences to Kawam’s family and said authorities were in contact with her next of kin.

The man accused of killing her, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, is still in custody.

He was indicted on Friday, Dec. 27, on four counts of murder, including one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder as well as one count of arson in the first degree.

“These are significant counts,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said on Friday, Dec. 27. “Murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole. It’s the most serious statute in New York state law.”

Police said Zapeta entered the United States illegally from Guatemala.

Zapeta is scheduled to be arraigned for his indictment on Jan. 7.

Prosecutors said that Zapeta used a lighter to start the fire and used his shirt to fan flames further on Kawam.

Zapeta has not yet entered a plea in the case, and his attorney has declined to comment so far.

Prosecutors said that when Zapeta spoke with police, he claimed not to know what happened because he drinks alcohol.

However, prosecutors said that Zapeta did identify himself in surveillance video and pictures when shown footage of the incident by investigators.

Tags: Arrest, Crime, Death, Homicide, Immigrant, migrants, Murder, New York, New York City, Public Transportation, South America, subway

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE WOMAN KILLED AFTER BEING SET ON FIRE WHILE SEATED ON A BROOKLYN SUBWAY CAR LAST WEEK HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.

NEW YORK POLICE REVEALING HER IDENTITY AS 57-YEAR-OLD DEBRINA KAWAM FROM TOMS RIVER, NEW JERSEY.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY IDENTIFIED HER THROUGH FINGERPRINT, DENTAL AND D-N-A EVIDENCE.

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE SHE WAS HOMELESS AND SLEEPING ON THE SUBWAY WHEN SHE WAS LIT ON FIRE.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAID SHE HAD A “BRIEF STINT” IN THE CITY’S SHELTER SYSTEM AND SAID THE INCIDENT IS TRAGIC IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

[ERIC ADAMS]

IT REALLY REINFORCES WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE LIVING ON OUR SUBWAY SYSTEM THEY SHOULD BE IN A PLACE OF CARE, AND NO MATTER WHERE SHE LIVED THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. BUT, WE HAVE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE LIVING ON OUR SUBWAY SYSTEM AND LIVING ON THE STREETS AND WE CAN’T THROW OUR HANDS UP AND ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HER, 33-YEAR-OLD SEBASTIAN ZAPETA, IS STILL IN CUSTODY, INDICTED LAST WEEK ON FOUR COUNTS OF MURDER, INCLUDING ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND ARSON.

[ERIC GONZALEZ]

THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT COUNTS. MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE CARRIES THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. IT’S THE MOST SERIOUS STATUTE IN NEW YORK STATE LAW.

[KARAH RUCKER]

POLICE SAY HE ENTERED THE U-S ILLEGALLY FROM GUATEMALA.

HE’S SET TO BE ARRAIGNED ON JANUARY 7TH.

PROSECUTORS SAY ZAPETA USED A LIGHTER TO START THE FIRE AND USED HIS SHIRT TO FAN THE FLAMES FURTHER ON KAWAM.

ZAPETA HAS YET TO ENTER A PLEA IN THE CASE.

HIS ATTORNEY HAS DECLINED TO COMMENT.

PROSECUTORS SAY ZAPETA CLAIMED NOT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE HE DRINKS ALCOHOL BUT IDENTIFIED HIMSELF IN PHOTOS AND SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.