Woman burned to death in New York subway identified as Debrina Kawam

New York police announced on Tuesday that they have identified the woman who died on December 22 after being set on fire while inside a New York subway train as a 61-year-old from New Jersey.

The woman, Debrina Kawam, had a Toms River, New Jersey, address, according to the NYPD.

Authorities previously said they were using forensics and video surveillance to identify the victim, who burned to death on a subway car in Brooklyn. The man accused of lighting her on fire, Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was taken into custody hours after police disseminated images of a suspect.

He has since been indicted on murder and arson charges. Zapeta remains jailed. Federal immigration officials say the 33-year-old is from Guatemala and entered the US illegally.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that Kawam had a “brief stint in our homeless shelter system” and that authorities had been in contact with her next of kin. He did not say when Kawam was in the homeless system.

“Hearts go out to the family, a horrific incident to have to live through,” Adams said at an unrelated press briefing.