NYC subway horror accused ‘fanned flames’ with a shirt; victim died of thermal injuries and… – Times of India

Sebastian Zapeta did not only set the woman on fire but then fanned the fire with his shirt.

The 33-year-old Guatemala migrant, Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, did not only set the victim on fire but also fanned the flames by waving a shirt around her aiding the spread of the fire, according to testimony from police officers on the scene, CNN reported. The medical examiner determined that the victim died of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.

More shocking details of the NYC subway horror emerge

Zapeta-Calil approached the victim silently approached the victim and then ignited her blanket. The woman had layers of clothing which immediately got engulfed in fire. CNN earlier reported that the victim had mobility issues and did not respond to the fire immediately. She sat still as she kept on burning and could only stand up when she was fully burnt. The suspect waved a shirt around her and then came out of the train and watched the victim turning to ashes — from a bench outside the subway car.

Accused claims he has no memory of incident

Zapeta-Calil did not enter a plea during his arraignment on Tuesday. He told police he did not know what happened and that he was intoxicated at that moment. He, however, identified himself in the images of the attack. Zapeta is an undocumented migrant from Giatelama who was deported in 2018. But he subsequently returned to the US illegally. His most recent address was listed as a homeless shelter in Brooklyn and other residents of the shelter identified him.
They said he used to remain intoxicated but never hurt himself or anyone else. On that fateful morning, he had his breakfast at the shelter home and told his mates that he was going for his morning run. The next thing the mates saw on the television was that he got arrested for setting a woman on fire. He was arrested from a different station and at least eight hours after the incident. He is expected to appear in court again on Friday.
The identity of the victim has not been ascertained but law enforcement said she was an adult, over the age of 18 and she was probably a homeless person who took the subway train to save herself from the cold. No other passengers or first responders were injured.