A man charged with murder in the death of a woman set on fire on a New York subway car was in the U.S. unlawfully and had previously been deported, federal officials said.
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, a Guatemalan citizen, was detained Sunday by New York police in the Brooklyn death, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
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He entered the country in Sonoita, Arizona, on June 1, 2018, was removed from the U.S. and returned to Guatemala days later — on June 7, 2018, ICE said.
Zapeta-Calil unlawfully re-entered the country at an unknown date and location, according to ICE.
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The man, who has been living in Brooklyn, was charged Monday with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and first-degree arson in the subway death, NYPD said.
It was not immediately clear Monday afternoon if Zapeta-Calil has an attorney.
Federal officials said they will file a request for Zapeta-Calil to be turned over to ICE after he is finished with the court process in the criminal matter. That immigration detainer could allow for him to be deported.
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About 7:30 a.m. Sunday, a woman who was not identified was sleeping on a stationary F train at the Stillwell Avenue Subway Station when a man lit her on fire with a lighter, police said.
After leaving the subway, the suspect sat on a platform bench, and an officer’s body camera captured clear imagery of him that was made public via a wanted flier, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
“Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform, just outside the train car, and the body-worn cameras on the responding officers produced a very clear, detailed look at the killer,” she said.
Tisch said the man “calmly walked up to the victim and used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing.”
The woman was declared dead at the scene.
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