*A shocking tragedy unfolded in a New York City subway when a 61-year-old woman was burned alive in a brutal and senseless attack on December 22.
Debrina Kawam of Toms River, NJ, has been identified as the victim of a horrifying attack, CNN reports. Witnesses reported that she was asleep when 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an illegal immigrant, poured lighter fluid on her and set her on fire. Instead of extinguishing the flames, Zapeta-Calil reportedly used a shirt to fan them, worsening the situation.
Last week, the Guatemalan citizen was indicted on multiple charges, including murder and arson. Authorities say he set Kawam on fire while she was asleep on a stationary F train at the Stillwell Avenue Subway Station. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Zapeta-Calil, who snuck back into the US after being deported in 2018, faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and one count of first-degree arson. He will be arraigned on January 7, NBC News reports.
The first-degree murder charge carries the possibility of life without parole.
Scroll to continue reading
BREAKING: Police identify the woman who was lit on fire by an illegal on the NYC subway as Debrina Kawam, 61, of Toms River, NJ. pic.twitter.com/Kz1cEFDaGr
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 31, 2024
Zapeta-Calil, who was living in shelters across NYC, was arrested by the NYPD at a Manhattan subway station shortly after carrying out the horrific killing. He told cops he was too drunk to remember setting the woman ablaze, the aftermath of which was captured on bystander video. According to his shelter roommate, Zapeta-Calil “bugged out” after smoking K2 and drinking heavily before the arson attack.
“The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.
“This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences,” Gonzalez added. “Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe on our subways and we will do everything in our power to ensure accountability in this case.”
In a statement, New York Mayor Eric Adams said of the victim, “She had a brief stint in our homeless shelter system, our shelter system. And your heart goes out to the family.”
Adams called it a “Horrific incident to have to live through.”
“Watching that tape, I couldn’t even watch it all the way through. Just a bad incident, and it impacts on how New Yorkers feel,” Adams said. “It really reinforces what I’ve been saying, people should not be living on our subway system, they should be in a place of care. And no matter where she lived, that should not have happened.”
There seems to be some confusion regarding Kawam’s age, with some reports listing her as 61 while others state she was 57.
The mayor’s office is reportedly pushing for additional federal charges against Zapeta-Calil.
“Lighting another human being on fire and watching them burn alive reflects a level of evil that cannot be tolerated,” the office said in a statement.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Illegal Immigrant Indicted on Arson, Murder Charges for Setting NYC Subway Rider on Fire
