The man accused of setting a woman on fire on a New York City subway car just before Christmas pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was indicted last month on four counts of murder and one count of arson in the death of 57-year-old Debrina Kawam.

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.

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.