The remains of the victim of the New York subway horror were mostly ashes, placing the investigators in front of a dead end as establishing the identity of the victim became a challenge. What they could gather immediately after the victim was set on fire was that she was an adult woman and had some mobility issues because there was a walker by her side.Rest was in the dark while accused Sebastian Zapeta-Kalil said he had no memory of setting the woman on fire.
10 days after the horrific incident for which the NYPD drew flak for their nonchalant behavior, the investigators revealed that the woman was 61-year-old Debrina Kawam from New Jersey. She was a homeless person. There is no evidence that Kawam knew Zapeta-Calil, the 33-year-old illegal migrant, who set her on fire.
Fingerprint data helped investigators
Investigators established the identity of the victim through fingerprint data, dental records and DNA evidence as there was nothing else. They also gathered surveillance footage from the subways hoping to find a clear image of the woman’s face before the fire.
The woman was already on the train when Zapeta-Calil boarded it in Queen. They both rode to the end of the line in Coney Island.
Why did Zapeta-Calil set the woman on fire?
After arrest, the perpetrator said he had no memory of the incident. They did not know each other. Hence, the horrific incident looks like a freak one that the perpetrator did out of intoxication. Kawam was sitting motionless, probably asleep, when Zapeta-Calil walked up, took out a lighter and set her on fire. He then stepped out of the train and sat on a bench staring at the fire and the smoke. When he set her on fire, he also waved a shirt at her which only helped the fire spread.
When Zapeta was witnessing his victim burning down, a viral video showed one NYPD official passing by as the people on the platform were screaming, When the NYPD reached the woman, Zapeta was still on the platform but they did not notice him as they tended to Kawam. Their body cameras captured him and then his photos were released. Three teenagers called 911 and informed the police that Zapeta-Calil was aboard another train in Brooklyn.
