Sebastian Zapeta, the Guatemalan man accused of setting a sleeping female subway passenger on fire and watching her burn to death on a subway station. Brooklyn subway car, and pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and arson.
Zabetta listened through an interpreter and did not speak during the 4-minute hearing. His lawyer eventually said his client needed medical care, but additional details were not immediately available.
Zabeta entered the United States illegally in 2018, according to authorities. He was deported and returned to the country at an unknown time.
Sebastian Zabetta was arraigned in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Zabetta faces murder and arson charges for allegedly setting Debrina Quam on fire while she slept on a New York City subway train. (Rashid Omar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
He made his way to New York, and on December 22, he allegedly set the woman on fire while she was sleeping on a subway seat.
Surveillance photos show the man who allegedly set a woman on fire in a Brooklyn subway while she was sleeping on December 22, 2024. (nypd)
The victim was identified as Debrina Quam, 57, of Toms River, New Jersey. She was severely burned and it took more than a week to identify her remains.
Sebastian Zabetta was arraigned in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Zabetta faces murder and arson charges for allegedly setting Debrina Quam on fire while she slept on a New York City subway train. (Rashid Omar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
Mayor Eric Adams, former NYPD CaptainHe said the surveillance video of the attack was so distorted that he could not finish watching it.
Quam was sitting alone, believed to be asleep, on the F train stopped at the Coney Island-Stilwell Avenue station in Brooklyn.
A WOMAN has been identified burned to death in a horrific subway attack
Sebastian Zabetta was arraigned in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Zabetta faces murder and arson charges for allegedly setting Debrina Quam on fire while she slept on a New York City subway train. (Rashid Omar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
“When the train arrived at the station, the suspect calmly walked toward the victim,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters at a news conference. He added: “The suspect used what we believe was a lighter to ignite the victim's clothes, which were completely swallowed within seconds.”
Sebastian Zabieta, accused of setting a woman on fire on a New York City subway train, appears in court, Tuesday, December 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Curtis Media across the pool)
The man then got out of the car to a nearby parking spot, sat down and watched for help to arrive. Responding officers were already at the station, and a transit worker grabbed a fire extinguisher. The suspect even appeared on body camera video, Tesh said.
The suspect was arrested after three teens riding on another subway train recognized him from a wanted poster and called 911. He was taken into custody at the next stop.
Police officers patrol the F train platform at the Coney Island-Stilwell Avenue station, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Zabeta faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
The NYPD released its year-end crime statistics for 2024 on Monday, touting the overall decline In crime And an increase in arrests. However, homicides in the subway system have doubled compared to 2023.
Zabita is scheduled to return to court on March 12.
Fox News' Greg Weiner and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
