Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Man charged with murder after woman set on fire on F train in Brooklyn
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Arun Venugopal
Published Dec 23, 2024
Modified Dec 23, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Arun Venugopal
Published Dec 23, 2024
Modified Dec 23, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police have charged the man they said lit a woman on fire aboard an F train in Brooklyn on Sunday morning, killing her.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was charged with murder in the first and second degrees, as well as arson. Police said he was living in East New York at an address on Forbell Avenue. The address appears to be associated with a substance abuse treatment facility.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement said Monday Zapeta was a Guatemalan citizen in the United States illegally, having been served with an expedited removal order in Arizona in 2018, and having returned to the United States without authorization at some unknown time since. ICE — which identified the suspect by the name Sebastian Zapeta-Calil — said it planned to lodge an immigration detainer with the NYPD.
Police still haven’t released any information about the woman killed in the incident.
Authorities previously said Sunday that Zapeta — whose name they hadn’t yet released at the time — and the woman were riding the same car as it pulled into the Stillwell Avenue station. They said the man "calmly" walked up to the woman and used what they believed was a lighter to set her clothes on fire. Photos reviewed by Gothamist showed the fire spread through the train car.
“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 on Monday. "This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe on our subways, and we will do everything in our power to ensure accountability in this case. I commend the NYPD for their swift work in apprehending the suspect.”
Authorities said three students called 911 after recognizing the man from images police had shared with the public from on-board video cameras. Police later recognized the man riding the subway in Manhattan, authorities said.
Contributed reporting by Giulia Heyward and Catalina Gonella.
Tagged
public safety
brooklyn
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Arun Venugopal
Arun Venugopal is a senior reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist Race & Justice Unit who focuses on issues of race and bias in our region. His reporting also tackles the topics of immigration, faith, and inequality. Arun serves as the regular fill-in host of the station's "U.S. of Anxiety" program. Arun was the creator and host of Micropolis, a series about race and identity. He is a contributor to NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. He has appeared on PBS Newshour, On the Media and Studio 360, and has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Salon. He also frequently serves as an emcee and moderator of panel discussions on race, religion, and identity issues and has been a guest host of NPR's "Fresh Air." He lives with his family in Queens.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .