The person accused. The woman was set on fire Prosecutors announced the indictment Friday on four counts of murder and one count of arson in the New York City subway.
On the morning of December 22, a stationary F train at the Stilwell Avenue subway station was allegedly set on fire by 33-year-old Sebastián Zapeta Cal, a Guatemalan national.
Zapeta-Calil’s arraignment was scheduled for Friday morning, but his attorney withdrew his appearance.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced in court a grand jury indictment on one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, as well as one count of first-degree arson.
The charge of first-degree murder carries the possibility of life without parole.
Brooklyn DA Gonzalez said the indictment will be unsealed in court on Jan. 7, when he will appear. Zapeta-Calil’s public defender could not immediately be reached for comment.
Earlier, Zapeta-Calil was charged by police with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
The woman, who has yet to be identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. Oh The vigil was held on Thursday for the woman.
Zapeta-Calil appeared in it on Tuesday. Brooklyn Court And sent to jail again on remand. He pleaded not guilty to the initial charges, according to court records.
During that hearing, a prosecutor said the suspect allegedly set the woman on fire with a lighter. Once she was engulfed in flames, she allegedly continued to “fan the flames with her shirt.” The prosecutor added that Zapeta-Calil later told police “he drinks a lot” and was “unrecognizable”.
Zapeta-Calil Is in the United States illegally. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said he had previously been deported.
He entered the country in Sonoita, Arizona on June 1, 2018 and was deported from the United States and returned to Guatemala days later on June 7, 2018.
It is not known where or when he illegally re-entered the country, ICE said. Federal officials said they would file a request to extradite Zapeta-Calil to ICE after the criminal case against Zapeta-Calil is over.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch previously said that in Sunday’s attack, Zapita Calel allegedly approached the “calm” woman as she slept and used a lighter to burn her clothes. He then exited the subway and sat on a platform bench and was captured on the responding officer’s body camera.
The photo was then posted to the public in a wanted flyer. Hours later Three high school age riders He was spotted on the train and called 911 and was taken into custody.
Although authorities have not identified the victim, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide and the cause of “thermal injury and smoke inhalation,” according to court documents.