Additional Coverage:
- DA speaks out about ‘malicious’ subway murder case (newsbreak.com)
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, has been charged with murdering a homeless woman on a New York City subway train.
Zapeta allegedly set the victim on fire while she slept. The incident was captured on surveillance video.
Authorities believe Zapeta did not know the victim. After lighting her clothes on fire, he exited the train and sat on a nearby bench.
Three high school students recognized Zapeta from the surveillance footage and contacted the police. He was arrested later that evening.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is confident in the first-degree murder charge against Zapeta. He praised the grand jury for reviewing the graphic video evidence.
Efforts are underway to identify the victim using fingerprinting and DNA. Zapeta, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, has claimed to have no knowledge of the incident but has identified himself in the footage.
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- DA speaks out about ‘malicious’ subway murder case (newsbreak.com)