{"id":108412,"date":"2025-01-07T18:03:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T18:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/newstalklc\/suspect-in-new-york-city-subway-burning-death-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-charge\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T18:03:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T18:03:40","slug":"suspect-in-new-york-city-subway-burning-death-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/newstalklc\/suspect-in-new-york-city-subway-burning-death-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-charge\/","title":{"rendered":"Suspect in New York City subway burning death pleads not guilty to murder charge"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Gary Hershorn\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(NEW YORK) — A man accused of killing a woman by\u00a0setting her on fire<\/a>\u00a0as she slept on a New York City subway train last month pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder and other charges.<\/p>\n

The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, who police said is an undocumented migrant from Guatemala, appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson stemming from the horrific killing of Debrina Kawam, who police said was homeless and sleeping on a subway car when she was attacked.<\/p>\n

Kawam, 57, was originally from Toms River, New Jersey, the New York Police Department said.<\/p>\n

Kawam was asleep on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 7:25 a.m. on Dec. 22 when she was set ablaze allegedly by the 33-year-old Zapeta-Calil, who stuck around to watch her burn, even fanning the flames, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

“It is difficult to fathom what could lead someone to commit the atrocious and horrific murder with which this defendant is charged,” Gonzalez said in a statement following Zapeta-Calil’s arrangement. “My office swiftly obtained an indictment, and we are determined to exact the most severe punishment for this heinous and inhumane act. Ms. Kawam and her loved ones deserve a measure of justice and New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in the subways.”<\/p>\n

If convicted of the charges, Kawam faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.<\/p>\n

Video surveillance captured Zapeta-Calil, who rode in the same subway car as the victim from Queens, using what appeared to be a lighter to set fire to fabric that covered the sleeping woman.<\/p>\n

The evidence collected by investigators showed Zapeta-Calil at first allegedly watched the woman burn from inside the subway car as the fire grew, Gonzalez said. The suspect then allegedly appeared to use a shirt to fan the flames, which completely engulfed the victim, the district attorney said.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez alleged Zapeta-Calil then walked out of the subway car, sat on a bench on the station platform and watched as the woman burned.<\/p>\n

Kawam was declared dead at the scene and the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be a combination of heat burns and smoke inhalation, Gonzalez said.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez said Kawam was burned beyond recognition and it took the medical examiner nine days to identify her.<\/p>\n

Using the video footage, police officers quickly identified the suspect and distributed his image to local media outlets, prompting a tip that he was aboard an F train near the Herald Square-34th Steet Station in Manhattan, Gonzalez said. Officers rushed to the station and took Zapeta-Calil into custody around 4 p.m. on the same day as the subway attack.<\/p>\n

The victim’s brother appeared in court Tuesday and met with local clergy to discuss plans for an upcoming memorial service.<\/p>\n

Kawam, known to her classmates as “Debbie,” grew up in Little Falls, New Jersey. She went to Montclair State University to study business and marketing and worked for a time at Merck. She filed for bankruptcy in 2008.<\/p>\n

Family and friends are expected to gather to remember Kawam on Jan. 12 for a memorial service at First Baptist Church in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, according to clergy members who attended Zspres-Calil’s arraignment.<\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gary Hershorn\/Getty Images (NEW YORK) — A man accused of killing a woman by\u00a0setting her on fire\u00a0as she slept on a New York City subway train last month pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder and other charges. 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