New York City authorities have identified the victim of a fatal subway fire earlier this month as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam of Toms River, New Jersey. Kawam was attacked while sleeping on a train in Brooklyn. The suspect, who was later apprehended, now faces multiple murder and arson charges.
The incident occurred on December 22nd at the Stillwell Avenue station, where Kawam was reportedly asleep on a stationary F train around 7:30 a.m. According to the New York Police Department, a man set her on fire before fleeing the scene. Initially reported to be 61, the victim's age was later corrected in a subsequent release. A vigil was held in her honor on Thursday following the tragic event.
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, a Guatemalan national, was arrested the same day in connection to the crime. He was identified through police body camera footage and taken into custody after subway riders called 911 upon spotting him. Zapeta-Calil has since been indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and one count of first-degree arson.
The first-degree murder charge carries the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. Zapeta-Calil appeared in a Brooklyn court on Tuesday and was remanded back into custody. Furthermore, officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have confirmed that Zapeta-Calil was in the U.S. unlawfully and had previously been deported.
