NYPD identifies woman killed in subway burning

The New York Police Department on Tuesday told WORLD that the woman who burned to death at a subway stop in Brooklyn was 61-year-old Debrina Kawam. She hailed from Toms River, N.J., the NYPD said. Kawam died on Dec. 22, but authorities struggled to immediately identify her. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Friday that DNA evidence and advanced fingerprinting techniques were being used in the search. Officials earlier said she was believed to have been homeless for a while.

What happened? Last week, prosecutors indicted 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta for allegedly killing Kawam by setting her on fire at a Brooklyn subway stop. He faces one count of arson and numerous murder charges. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez last week said his office was confident in its ability to hold Zapeta accountable for his actions.

Dig deeper: Read my report about Zapeta’s arrest last week, before prosecutors indicted him.