(New York) A man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to burning a sleeping woman alive on a subway train in New York.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is charged with murder and arson in connection with the death of Debrina Kawam, 57.
Prosecutors say Zapeta set the New Jersey woman on fire on a train stopped at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn on December 22. Zapeta then fanned the flames with a shirt before sitting on a dock bench and watching the woman burn, the suit alleges.
Prosecutors contend that Zapeta confirmed to police that he was the man in surveillance photos and videos of the fire, but said he drank a lot of alcohol and did not remember what happened. had passed.
Zapeta, a Guatemalan citizen who authorities say entered the United States illegally after being deported in 2018, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole for murder.
The hearing lasted less than five minutes on Tuesday. Zapeta stood up, his eyes turned to the ground, as a Spanish interpreter whispered in his ear. His next court date is March 12.
The killing reignited debate over safety in the nation’s largest transit system, even though crime on the subway remains relatively rare.
Crime on public transport is falling for the second year in a row, with a 5.4% drop last year compared to 2023, according to data released by police on Monday, which also showed an overall drop of 3%. major crimes throughout the metropolis.
Yet New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Monday that riders “just don’t feel safe.”
In response, she announced that the Police Department would deploy more than 200 officers on subway trains and more officers on platforms in the 50 stations where crime is highest.
“We know that 78% of transit crimes occur on trains and on platforms, and that is obviously where our officers need to be present,” said Commissioner Tisch. This is just the beginning. »
