Guatemala’s Sebastian Zapeta accused of burning woman on subway train in Brooklyn, New York

NEW: The man suspected of lighting a woman on fire on a New York City subway has been identified as Sebastian Zapeta.

The man apparently sat on a bench and watched his victim burn.

Police, who clearly had no clue what was going on, reportedly told the man who is believed to… pic.twitter.com/dxYibgfncJ

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 22, 2024

Who is Sebastian Zapeta?

Originally from Guatemala, Sebastian Zapeta Calil, 33, illegally entered the United States at least twice. On June 1, 2018, he entered the U.S. in Sonoita, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, USA and was detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On June 7, 2018, Zapeta was returned to Guatemala. Details about when and how he reentered the U.S. are unknown.

In 2023, Zapeta was issued a transit ticket and the address he gave was that of a shelter on Randall’s Island in New York City. In April 2023, he was staying at a Days Inn hotel on 36th Street in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, which had been converted into a migrant shelter.

On the morning of December 22, 2024, Zapeta allegedly followed a female adult subway rider in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. He was wearing a dark-colored knit hat with a red band, a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and brown boots,

The name of the rider was not released. At around 7:30 a.m., while she was sleeping, she was burned alive while on the F train at the subway station on Stillwell Avenue on Coney Island in Brooklyn.

Zapeta is accused of setting the victim on fire, standing by and watching as the flames engulfed her. She was pronounced dead at the scene after the fire was extinguished.

Authorities briefly spoke with Zapeta before instructing him to leave the area not knowing that he was the suspect. After identifying him as the suspect, the New York City Police Department released photos of him from the body-worn cameras on the responding officers.

Three high school students later recognized Zapeta on a train at the 34th Street station in Manhattan, New York City and sent the information to authorities. Soon after, NYPD officers arrested him without incident.

When Zapeta was picked up, he had a lighter in his pocket and he was wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he was seen at the scene where the unidentified woman was burned alive earlier that day. On December 23, 2024, he was charged with murder.