The man charged in the horrific killing of a woman on a New York City subway car last week has been indicted on multiple charges, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Friday.
At a news conference, Gonzalez said a grand jury has indicted Sebastian Zapeta-Calil , 33, on murder in the first and second degree and arson. The suspect waived his right to appear in court on Friday but is expected to be arraigned on the new charges on Jan. 7.
Police and prosecutors say Zapeta-Calil approached a woman sitting on an subway car in Brooklyn early Sunday morning, set her on fire and fanned the flames using a shirt.
As of Friday, officials have not released the name of the woman who died of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. Multiple outlets, including the New York Times, have reported the woman was homeless and police have been unable to identify her.
Zapeta-Calil, a Guatemalan man in the country illegally, was arrested Monday after he was spotted by several high school students who matched him to the suspect’s description released by the New York Police Department.