NYC Subway Arson Suspect Sebastian Zapeta Pleads Not Guilty
Sebastian Zapeta, accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a New York City subway, pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning to charges of murder and arson.
The incident occurred on December 22 when Zapeta allegedly ignited a sleeping woman’s clothes using a lighter, fanned the flames with his shirt, and then sat on a nearby platform bench as she
burned. Police at the Brooklyn subway station responded after noticing smoke but were unable to extinguish the fire in time to save the woman. She succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
The case has drawn significant national attention, one of several high-profile incidents involving the NYC subway system in recent months.
Appearing in Kings County Supreme Court wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed, Zapeta listened to court proceedings through a Spanish interpreter. Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry stated that Zapeta was charged with causing another person’s death by intentionally setting the victim on fire.
Last month, a grand jury indicted the 33-year-old Guatemalan native on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of second-
degree murder, and first-degree arson. Zapeta waived his right to attend a December 27 hearing, and Judge Danny Chun scheduled the next hearing for March 12 to review the sufficiency of the grand jury evidence.
Victim Identified as Debrina Kawam
The victim was identified as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam of Toms River, New Jersey. Mayor Eric Adams revealed that Kawam had briefly been part of the city’s homeless shelter system, though it is unclear if she was homeless at the time of the incident.
Footage from the incident has sparked criticism of the police response, with some accusing officers of inaction as the flames spread. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch clarified that officers acted quickly to control the scene and summon help, but the fire consumed Kawam in seconds. Despite efforts to extinguish the flames, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Suspect’s Immigration Status and Background
Zapeta, who faces a maximum sentence of life without parole if convicted of first-degree murder, was living in the United States illegally after being deported in 2018. Authorities confirmed he had been staying at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn.
Investigators have not identified any prior connection between Zapeta and Kawam, nor have they determined a motive. Zapeta was apprehended hours after the attack when teenagers in Midtown Manhattan recognized him and alerted authorities. His attorney has not commented on the case.
