The suspect accused of setting a woman on fire while she slept on a New York City subway earlier this week has been indicted by a grand jury. The 33-year-old is now facing multiple charges, including murder and arson, according to New York prosecutors.
A grand jury indicted Sebastian Zapeta on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and one count of first-degree arson, said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
“I want to assure the people of this city that this office will do everything in our power to hold him accountable,” Gonzalez told reporters. “This was a malicious deed –– a sleeping vulnerable woman on our subway system.”
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack, saying, “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim. The female victim was in a seated position. The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen. They say he was deported on June 7, 2018, during the first Trump administration.
Zapeta later re-entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date, and DHS said he will again face removal proceedings. He was also reportedly staying at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, according to police.
The indictment will be unsealed during Zapeta’s arraignment, scheduled for Jan. 7.
The medical examiner and police are still working to identify the victim.
