Sleeping Woman Fatally Set on Fire on NYC Subway; Suspect Arrested

Dec 23, 2024, 09:30 AM

A woman was fatally set on fire while sleeping on a New York City subway train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn around 7:30 am on Sunday, December 22, 2024. According to the New York Police Department, a man approached the woman, used a lighter to ignite her clothing, and then sat on a bench watching as she burned. The victim, who has not been identified, died at the scene. The suspect, identified as Sebastian Zapeta, a migrant from Guatemala who entered the U.S. in 2018, was later arrested after being recognized by three high school students. Authorities believe the victim and the suspect did not know each other. Police described the crime as 'one of the most depraved crimes a person can commit.'