Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen, pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges stemming from the Dec. 22 death of Debrina Kawam. Prosecutors allege Zapeta set Kawam on fire on a stopped F train in Brooklyn, then watched as she burned. Zapeta reportedly admitted to being in surveillance footage but claimed he doesn’t remember the incident due to alcohol consumption. The top charge carries a life sentence without parole.
A man is in custody as a person of interest in the fatal arson of a woman sleeping on a Brooklyn subway train. Body camera footage from responding officers, combined with security camera video, identified the suspect who was seen calmly setting the victim on fire before fleeing the scene. High school students alerted 911 after discovering the victim, leading to the suspect’s apprehension hours later while wearing clothing matching that in the body camera footage. Charges are pending against the suspect, who is described as a 25-30 year old male.
John Q. Hosedrinker