Man Identified as Suspect in Apparent Random Attack on Woman on NYC Subway
Authorities have identified the man accused of setting a woman on fire on a Brooklyn subway train, leading to her death. The suspect, 33-year-old Sebastián Murder in Woman’s …”>Zapeta-Calil, is a Guatemalan national who had been living illegally in the United States.
Zapeta-Calil first entered the country in 2018 and was immediately deported, but he managed to return, according to officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was living at a shelter for homeless individuals with drug addiction issues in East New York, Brooklyn.
The brutal attack, which was partly recorded on video, has left New Yorkers and public officials horrified. Law enforcement sources reported that Zapeta-Calil and the unidentified woman, who appeared to be homeless, had no known connection and had never interacted before the incident.
Zapeta-Calil boarded the F train in Queens, where the woman was already seated. They traveled together for over an hour until reaching the end of the line at Coney Island. At some point during the journey, Zapeta-Calil allegedly poured an accelerant onto the woman and set her ablaze.
Zapeta-Calil was arrested shortly after the attack and has been charged with first-degree murder and arson. The investigation into this heinous crime continues.
