Suspect in deadly subway attack doesn’t remember setting woman on fire: Report

Jan 7

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Harry Fogle (Video Editor)

The suspect accused of killing a woman after he set her on fire on a New York City subway train told investigators he doesn’t remember committing the fatal act, The New York Times reports. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, a Guatemalan citizen who reportedly entered the U.S. illegally, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder in the death of 57-year-old Dabrina Kawam during a hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

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Court documents obtained by The Times reveal investigators interrogated Zapeta on the day of the attack. He described blacking out after drinking liquor all night.

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The suspect said he had no memory of getting on the subway train or seeing Kawam.

When investigators showed him surveillance video of the attack, Zapeta said, “Oh, damn, that’s me.”

Kawam burns were so severe that it took the medical examiner’s office more than a week to identify her remains.

“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,” Zapeta told police.

Investigators say on the morning of Dec. 22, Zapeta walked up to Kawam as she slept on the F train and set her clothing and blanket on fire.

The flames engulfed Kawam, and the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide, noting her thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.

In a statement Tuesday, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “My office swiftly obtained an indictment, and we are determined to exact the most severe punishment for this heinous and inhumane act. Ms. Kawam and her loved ones deserve a measure of justice, and New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in the subways.”

If convicted, Zapeta faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Tags: Crime, New York City

THE SUSPECT ACCUSED OF SETTING A WOMAN ON FIRE ON A NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY TRAIN, TELLS INVESTIGATORS HE DOESN’T REMEMBER COMMITTING THE FATAL ACT, THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS.

33-YEAR-OLD SEBASTIAN ZAPETA-CALIL, AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT FROM GUATEMELA, PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES OF MURDER IN THE DEATH OF 57-YEAR-OLD DABRINA KAWAM DURING A HEARING TUESDAY.

THE TIMES REPORTS COURT DOCUMENTS REVEAL INVESTIGATORS INTERROGATED ZAPETA-CALIL THE DAY OF THE ATTACK… WHEN HE DESCRIBED TO THEM CARRYING OUT AN ALL-NIGHT ALCOHOL BENDER THAT ENDED IN A BLACKOUT.

THE SUSPECT SAID HE HAD NO MEMORY OF GETTING ON THE SUBWAY TRAIN OR SEEING MS. KAWAM.

WHEN INVESTIGATORS SHOWED HIM SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE ATTACK, ZAPETA-CALIL RESPONDED SAYING “OH, DAMN, THAT’S ME.”

KAWAM WAS BURNED SO BADLY – IT TOOK THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS’ OFFICE MORE THAN A WEEK TO IDENTIFY HER REMAINS.

“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,” ZAPETA-CALIL TOLD POLICE.

INVESTIGATORS SAY ON THE MORNING ON DECEMBER 22, ZAPETA-CALIL WALKED UP TO A SLEEPING MS. KAWAM ON THE ‘F’ TRAIN AND LIT HER CLOTHING AND BLANKET ON FIRE.

THE FLAMES ENGULFED KAWAM AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED HER DEATH A HOMICIDE NOTING HER THERMAL INJURIES AND SMOKE INHALATION.

IN A STATEMENT TUESDAY, BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ERIC GONZALEZ SAID: “MY OFFICE SWIFTLY OBTAINED AN INDICTMENT, AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO EXACT THE MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR THIS HEINOUS AND INHUMANE ACT. MS. KAWAM AND HER LOVED ONES DESERVE A MEASURE OF JUSTICE AND NEW YORKERS DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE IN THE SUBWAYS.”

IF CONVICTED, ZAPETA-CALIL FACES LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE.

Suspect in deadly subway attack doesn’t remember setting woman on fire: Report

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