Guatemalan Man Pleads Not Guilty in Burning Death of Homeless Woman on NYC Subway

Jan 7, 2025, 04:59 PM

A Guatemalan man, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, appeared in a New York court on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and arson. Zapeta-Calil is accused of setting 57-year-old New Jersey resident and homeless woman, Debrina Kawam, on fire as she slept on a stationary F train at Brooklyn's Coney Island station on December 22. According to prosecutors, Zapeta-Calil allegedly lit Kawam on fire and fanned the flames until she was engulfed, then watched her burn. After his arrest, Zapeta-Calil reportedly told detectives he was "blacked out" drunk and did not recall the incident until shown video footage, upon which he exclaimed, "Oh damn, that's me!" Authorities believe Zapeta-Calil did not know Kawam prior to the attack. He had previously been deported from the U.S. before returning illegally and is being held without bail.