Man indicted on murder, arson charges in burning death of woman on New York subway train
Authorities say Sebastian Zapeta approached the motionless woman, who was thought to be asleep, and set her clothing on fire with a lighter
The man accused of burning a sleeping woman to death inside a New York City subway train has been indicted on murder and arson charges, a prosecutor said on Friday, as authorities continue working to identity the victim.
Sebastian Zapeta is accused by prosecutors of lighting the woman on fire on a stopped F train at Brooklyn’s Coney Island station on Sunday morning, then fanning the flames with a shirt, causing her to become engulfed in the blaze, before sitting on platform bench and watching as she burned.
“This was a malicious deed. A sleeping, vulnerable woman on our subway system,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said after a brief court hearing where the indictment was announced.
He said Zapeta has been charged with multiple counts of murder as well as an arson charge. The top charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. The indictment will be unsealed on January 7.
Zapeta, 33, was not present at the hearing, and his lawyer declined to comment afterwards.
Zapeta, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the United States illegally, was taken into custody later on Sunday.