The man accused of killing a New York City subway passenger by setting her on fire has no memory of “what happened” and admits to heavy drinking, authorities said Tuesday.
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen living illegally in the United States, appeared before a Brooklyn judge and was formally charged with murder and arson in connection with Sunday's horrific attack.
The victim, who remains unidentified, was killed while sleeping on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station.
The suspect allegedly set her on fire with a lighter, and once the victim was engulfed in flames, Zapeta-Calil “continued to fan the flames with a shirt,” a prosecutor said.
Zapeta-Calil later told police that “he drinks a lot of liquor” and “doesn't know what happened,” the prosecutor added.
Zapeta-Calil used an interpreter to help him understand Tuesday's court action and appeared to be wearing the same white Tyvek suit he wore when New York police officers first walked him out of a police station in front of the waiting cameras.
He made no comment in court and was not required to enter a plea.
Zapeta-Calil was ordered held without bail and his next court hearing is Friday.
Although the victim has not yet been identified, the medical examiner has already determined her death was a homicide and that the cause was “thermal injury and smoke inhalation,” according to court documents.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
