The woman killed when she was set on fire in a Brooklyn subway car has been tentatively identified by police, after using fingerprint and dental information and DNA evidence.
On Tuesday, NYPD officers identified her as 61-year-old Debrina Kawam, originally from Toms River.
She is believed to have been homeless and was sleeping on the subway when she was set on fire.
Last week, a grand jury indicted the alleged subway arsonist on four counts of murder — one count of murder in the first degree, three counts of murder in the second degree and arson in the first degree during a hearing Friday.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, did not appear in court for prosecutors’ brief announcement of the indictment but he must appear when he is arraigned on the indictment on Jan. 7.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that “murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole,” calling it a charge that is “more significant in state court than currently in federal court.”
“We believe very strongly that this case belongs in the state court,” he said, quickly adding, “we have a very strong working relationship with our federal partners and of course we will always do what is in the best interests” of the case.