Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, the Guatemalan migrant charged with setting a sleeping woman on fire aboard a Brooklyn subway train, was known for his erratic behaviour after smoking K2 (synthetic drug) and drinking heavily, claimed his roommate at a homeless shelter where he lived.
Zapeta-Calil, 33, was arraigned Tuesday in Brooklyn Criminal Court on first-degree murder and arson charges for the shocking attack early Sunday morning that left the unidentified woman dead. Surveillance footage captured Zapeta-Calil sitting on a bench watching as flames consumed the victim.
‘Alcohol fueled erratic behaviour’
Raymond Robinson, who shared a dormitory with Zapeta-Calil at the Samaritan Village Forbell men’s shelter in East New York, described him as a heavy user of K2 and a frequent drinker.
“He smoked K2, drank, and bugged out,” the New York Post quoted Robinson. “He would bug out and talk to himself when he was high, but he never harmed nobody or himself. When he wasn’t high, he’d talk like we’re talking regular”, Robinson added.
Despite his unpredictable behaviour, Robinson said Zapeta-Calil often came across as quiet and respectful. “He was friendly. Say you just came in and needed some socks, he’d help you out,” Robinson said, adding, “That’s why this s**t f***ed my head up because I slept next to him, and he was never like that.”
“I wouldn’t leave my daughter with anybody but he was the type of dude I could trust, as long as he wasn’t high”, Robinson added.
The brutal attack unfolded at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Police said Zapeta-Calil approached the sleeping woman, set her clothes on fire with a lighter, and then used a shirt to fan the flames, as captured in video evidence.
Prosecutors allege that Zapeta-Calil watched the woman burn while sitting calmly on a bench. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, with authorities citing “thermal injuries and smoke inhalation” as the cause of death.
History of ‘substance abuse’
Other residents at the shelter painted a complex picture of Zapeta-Calil, describing him as someone who frequently drank cheap vodka and smoked K2. According to the New York Times, he was deported to Guatemala in 2018 but later returned illegally to the United States.
As per the New York Post, José Acosta, another shelter resident, said Zapeta-Calil worked in construction and regularly sent money back to his family in Guatemala. But others described him as increasingly dishevelled and distant in recent weeks.
Juan Medrano, who also lived at the shelter, said Zapeta-Calil was often “in his own world” but noted he had never been in trouble there before.
Zapeta-Calil remains in custody without bail as prosecutors detail evidence of his actions. He reportedly told police he was so intoxicated that he doesn’t remember the attack.