A court hearing is scheduled for Friday for Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of murdering a woman on a New York City subway train. Zapeta is charged with two counts of murder and one count of arson for the seemingly random attack, which occurred early Sunday morning on a train stopped in Brooklyn.
The 33-year-old Zapeta, a Guatemalan citizen who federal immigration officials say entered the U.S. illegally, made his first court appearance earlier this week. He was not required to enter a plea, and his attorney has not yet commented. The victim has not been publicly identified.
According to prosecutor Ari Rottenberg, Zapeta allegedly approached the woman, possibly sleeping at the Coney Island station, and set her clothing on fire with a lighter. He then fanned the flames with a shirt, engulfing her in fire. Prosecutors allege Zapeta subsequently sat on a nearby bench and watched as the woman burned to death at the scene.
Zapeta was apprehended later that day on the same subway line. He told investigators that he consumes large amounts of alcohol and had no memory of the event, according to Rottenberg. However, Zapeta reportedly identified himself in photos and surveillance footage of the incident.
A Brooklyn address released by police after his arrest corresponds to a shelter offering housing and substance abuse support. Federal immigration officials stated that Zapeta was deported in 2018 but re-entered the U.S. illegally. He is currently being held at Rikers Island.
—
(The following is a separate section, likely a footer from a news website):
*Get Eyewitness News Delivered
*More New York City news
*Send us a news tip
*Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
*Follow us on YouTube
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.