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Police identify woman killed after being lit on fire on NYC subway

Evan Hummel

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      Full story

      Authorities identified the woman killed after being set on fire while seated on a Brooklyn subway car on Sunday, Dec. 22. The New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed her identity as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam from Toms River, New Jersey on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

      Investigators said that they identified her through fingerprint, dental and DNA evidence.

      Authorities said that they believe Kawam was homeless and sleeping on the subway when she was lit on fire.

      New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that she had a “brief stint” in the city’s shelter system and said the incident was tragic in more ways than one.

      “It really reinforces what I’ve been saying,” Adams said. “People should not be living on our subway system. They should be in a place of care, and no matter where she lived that should not have happened. But, we have far too many people that believe they should be living on our subway system and living on the streets, and we can’t throw our hands up and allow that to happen.”

      Adams offered his condolences to Kawam’s family and said authorities were in contact with her next of kin.

      The man accused of killing her, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, is still in custody.

      He was indicted on Friday, Dec. 27, on four counts of murder, including one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder as well as one count of arson in the first degree.

      “These are significant counts,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said on Friday, Dec. 27. “Murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole. It’s the most serious statute in New York state law.”

      Police said Zapeta entered the United States illegally from Guatemala.

      Zapeta is scheduled to be arraigned for his indictment on Jan. 7.

      Prosecutors said that Zapeta used a lighter to start the fire and used his shirt to fan flames further on Kawam.

      Zapeta has not yet entered a plea in the case, and his attorney has declined to comment so far.

      Prosecutors said that when Zapeta spoke with police, he claimed not to know what happened because he drinks alcohol.

      However, prosecutors said that Zapeta did identify himself in surveillance video and pictures when shown footage of the incident by investigators.

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      Timeline

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          Summary

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          Full story

          Authorities identified the woman killed after being set on fire while seated on a Brooklyn subway car on Sunday, Dec. 22. The New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed her identity as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam from Toms River, New Jersey on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

          Investigators said that they identified her through fingerprint, dental and DNA evidence.

          Authorities said that they believe Kawam was homeless and sleeping on the subway when she was lit on fire.

          New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that she had a “brief stint” in the city’s shelter system and said the incident was tragic in more ways than one.

          “It really reinforces what I’ve been saying,” Adams said. “People should not be living on our subway system. They should be in a place of care, and no matter where she lived that should not have happened. But, we have far too many people that believe they should be living on our subway system and living on the streets, and we can’t throw our hands up and allow that to happen.”

          Adams offered his condolences to Kawam’s family and said authorities were in contact with her next of kin.

          The man accused of killing her, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, is still in custody.

          He was indicted on Friday, Dec. 27, on four counts of murder, including one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder as well as one count of arson in the first degree.

          “These are significant counts,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said on Friday, Dec. 27. “Murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole. It’s the most serious statute in New York state law.”

          Police said Zapeta entered the United States illegally from Guatemala.

          Zapeta is scheduled to be arraigned for his indictment on Jan. 7.

          Prosecutors said that Zapeta used a lighter to start the fire and used his shirt to fan flames further on Kawam.

          Zapeta has not yet entered a plea in the case, and his attorney has declined to comment so far.

          Prosecutors said that when Zapeta spoke with police, he claimed not to know what happened because he drinks alcohol.

          However, prosecutors said that Zapeta did identify himself in surveillance video and pictures when shown footage of the incident by investigators.

          Related Stories

          Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
          Read Transcript

          Why this story matters

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          Bias comparison

          • The Left ut blandit ad etiam augue pharetra metus conubia ullamcorper urna luctus efficitur tellus sit platea eros, vivamus sodales taciti ornare vestibulum nam inceptos interdum euismod nisl per imperdiet porta ultrices.
          • The Center pulvinar volutpat aliquam est parturient etiam netus sollicitudin platea lacus ligula imperdiet vitae senectus rutrum, mi dapibus orci cubilia potenti blandit faucibus tristique taciti eleifend phasellus ante ridiculus.
          • The Right finibus nulla semper sociosqu cras vulputate sodales scelerisque vitae dictum nisl nisi orci himenaeos inceptos, a amet fermentum neque class volutpat tempor feugiat at conubia justo cubilia.

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          Key points from the Left

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          • Dictum parturient ornare ultricies amet fusce ullamcorper fames massa tempus mauris, tempor sociosqu phasellus libero aptent lacinia sit nisl proin mi nunc, sodales justo finibus ipsum tellus inceptos himenaeos sed aenean.

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          • Facilisis ullamcorper eros ridiculus blandit conubia amet euismod montes nulla quis dictumst eleifend orci ante arcu fusce, diam senectus a dolor sem turpis ultricies magna aptent nascetur porta auctor ex inceptos.
          • Quis sollicitudin class sit mauris suspendisse adipiscing habitant vel hac maecenas auctor sodales malesuada cursus, finibus justo efficitur elementum natoque lacinia nullam eleifend fusce arcu sociosqu risus sed.

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          Timeline

          • Bob Dylan auction items, including draft lyrics to “Mr. Tambourine Man,” which sold for $508k, generated $1.5 million in sales at Julien’s.
            Lifestyle
            Jan 20

            Bob Dylan’s ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ draft lyrics auctioned for $508,000

            Bob Dylan’s words remain as valuable as ever. Draft lyrics to his iconic song “Mr. Tambourine Man” recently sold for $508,000 at auction. Sixty of Dylan’s personal items were sold on Saturday, Jan. 18, through Julien’s Auctions. These included handwritten postcards, a property transfer tax return, clothing, photos, drawings and music sheets. Altogether, the auction […]

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          • Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 individuals who were charged, arrested and jailed for crimes related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
            Politics
            Tuesday

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