Who is Sebastian Zapeta? Suspect arrested for setting woman on fire on NYC Subway

A suspect has been detained in connection with a horrific incident on the New York City subway that left a woman burned alive on Sunday morning. The man, reportedly identified as

Sebastian Zapeta

, is accused of setting fire to a sleeping woman aboard a Coney Island F train. A disturbing video of the incident soon went viral, showing the shocking moment Zapeta tossed a lit match onto the woman, watching as she ignited in flames.
The man, identified as a migrant from Guatemala, had previously entered the US in 2018 through Arizona. Authorities are still determining his immigration status.
The suspect fled the scene but was soon arrested. Police confirmed that he did not know the victim and had no prior criminal record in New York City. He was found riding another train, still wearing the same gray hoodie and paint-splattered pants from the attack, reported the New York Post.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) launched a manhunt for Zapeta, which led to his arrest after he was spotted by a passenger on a train at 34th Street in Manhattan. The passenger alerted the police, who were able to track him down. While Zapeta has been detained, authorities have yet to press formal charges, and the investigation is ongoing.

According to sources from The New York Post, a lighter was allegedly found in Zapeta’s possession at the time of his arrest. Further details about Zapeta's background are expected to be revealed at a press conference scheduled by the NYPD at Police Plaza at 1 pm local time.
The tragic event took place at 7:30 am when officers responded to reports of a fire at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station. They found the woman, surrounded by liquor bottles, engulfed in flames while seated on the idling F train. Emergency responders managed to extinguish the fire, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shocked commuters described the scene as horrifying, with one MTA worker commenting, "I didn’t see her in flames, but that’s what I heard. They shut the lights off so nobody could see." The woman's body was carried out in a black body bag around 1 pm, prompting expressions of disbelief and fear from bystanders.
"I was just walking by. It’s incredible," said a witness. "This is messed up, especially with Christmas so close."
As the investigation continues, the attack adds to a troubling series of violent incidents in the city's subway system over the past week. These include multiple stabbings and assaults, sparking concerns about safety. Despite this, New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently took to social media to tout the city’s subway system as "safer," though many residents are questioning the effectiveness of these measures.