Sebastian Zapeta has been formally indicted on charges of murder and arson after allegedly setting a sleeping woman on fire on a New York City subway train. The incident occurred on a stopped F train at Brooklyn’s Coney Island station, where Zapeta is accused of igniting the fire and then fanning the flames with a shirt, causing the woman to be engulfed in the blaze. Prosecutors revealed these details following a brief court hearing on Friday. Zapeta, who is 33 years old and reportedly a Guatemalan citizen in the U.S. illegally, could face life imprisonment without parole if convicted of the top charges.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez described the act as a “malicious deed” against a vulnerable victim. As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities are employing fingerprints and DNA techniques to identify the deceased woman. Police are also retracing her movements before the tragic incident. Despite Zapeta’s absence from Friday’s hearing, he had been detained shortly after the incident occurred, with federal immigration authorities confirming that he had previously been deported in 2018 but had re-entered the U.S. illegally.
Zapeta’s legal case began with a criminal complaint filed earlier in the week, which included initial charges of murder and arson. In New York, felony cases customarily proceed to trial with a grand jury indictment unless waived by the defendant. Mayor Eric Adams has urged collaboration between the police and federal immigration’s investigative teams to pursue potential federal arson charges.
This unsettling incident has once again brought the issue of safety in New York’s subway system to the forefront. Although crime rates on the subway remain relatively low, homicides have risen, with several high-profile violent offenses stirring public concern. Mayor Adams acknowledged the impact of these incidents on New Yorkers’ sense of security and emphasized that many of these cases involve individuals with mental health issues. The indictment against Zapeta will remain sealed until January 7, when further details may emerge.
