The man accused of killing a woman by setting her on fire within the New York City subway was indicted Friday on 4 counts of homicide and one depend of arson, prosecutors introduced.
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, a Guatemalan citizen, allegedly set the lady on hearth as she was sleeping on a stationary F prepare on the Stillwell Avenue Subway Station the morning of Dec. 22.
Zapeta-Calil had a listening to scheduled Friday morning, however his lawyer waived his look.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s workplace introduced a grand jury indictment in courtroom on one depend of first-degree homicide and three counts of second-degree homicide in addition to one depend of first-degree arson.
The first-degree homicide cost carries the potential of life with out parole.
Brooklyn DA Gonzalez mentioned the indictment will likely be unsealed in courtroom on Jan. 7, when he’ll be arraigned. A public defender for Zapeta-Calil couldn’t be instantly reached for remark.
Prior, Zapeta-Calil had been charged by police with first-degree homicide, second-degree homicide and first-degree arson.
The lady, who’s but to be recognized, was declared useless on the scene. A vigil was held Thursday for the lady.
Zapeta-Calil appeared on Tuesday in Brooklyn court and was remanded again to custody. According to courtroom information, he had pleaded not responsible to the preliminary fees.
During that listening to, a prosecutor mentioned the suspect allegedly set the lady on hearth with a lighter. Once she was engulfed in flames, he allegedly continued “fanning the flames with a shirt.” Zapeta-Calil later instructed police that “he drinks a whole lot of liquor” and “doesn’t know what occurred,” the prosecutor added.
Zapeta-Calil is in the U.S. unlawfully and had been beforehand deported, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers mentioned.
He entered the nation in Sonoita, Arizona, on June 1, 2018 and was faraway from the U.S. and returned to Guatemala days afterward June 7, 2018.
It’s not recognized the place or when he unlawfully re-entered the nation, ICE mentioned. Federal officers mentioned they may file a request for Zapeta-Calil to be turned over to ICE after the felony case in opposition to him is over.
In the Sunday assault, Zapeta-Calil allegedly “calmly” approached the lady as she was sleeping and used a lighter to ignite her garments, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch beforehand mentioned. He then left the subway and sat on a platform bench and was captured on the physique digicam of a responding officer.
That picture was then posted to the general public in a needed flier. Hours later three high school-aged riders noticed him on the prepare and known as 911 and he was taken into custody.
Though officers haven’t recognized the sufferer, the Medical Examiner decided her dying was a murder and the trigger had been “thermal accidents and smoke inhalation,” in response to courtroom paperwork.
