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Guatemalan Man Indicted for Murder After Setting Woman on Fire on NYC Subway

Dec 27, 2024, 03:24 PM

Authorities in New York City have indicted a man accused of fatally setting a woman on fire aboard a Brooklyn subway train. The suspect, 33-year-old Guatemalan national Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and arson following the incident that occurred early Sunday morning on an F train in Coney Island. According to prosecutors, Zapeta-Calil allegedly approached the woman, who was sleeping on the train, set her clothing on fire using a lighter, and then used a shirt to fan the flames as she burned to death. The victim, who remains unidentified, suffered severe burns beyond recognition; authorities are working to confirm her identity, potentially through dental records. Zapeta-Calil, who had been previously deported in 2018, claimed he was intoxicated at the time and does not remember the incident. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has urged federal prosecutors to bring additional charges, which could result in harsher penalties. Zapeta-Calil has been indicted and is being held without bail pending his next court appearance.