The suspect is accused of setting a sleeping woman's clothes on fire, using his shirt to fan the flames and then sitting on a platform bench nearby.

The suspect accused of setting a woman on fire on the subway last month was back in court to plead “not guilty” just a short time ago. FOX 5 NY’s Michelle Ross has the details from the courtroom.

The deadly fire on the F train was one of several high-profile acts of violence in New York City's subway system at the end of last year, even as transit crime dropped overall in 2024. The NYPD on Monday pledged to send 200 more officers into the subway, with a focus on train cars and platforms.

Despite previously confirming his identity in surveillance footage, Sebastian Zapeta pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and arson.

The man accused of burning a woman alive while she was asleep on a New York City subway is set to be arraigned Tuesday on murder and arson charges. #NYC #arson #subway

Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of setting a woman on fire on the NYC subway, pleads not guilty in the death of Debrina Kawam.