NY NY - Brooklyn, WhtFem 30-60, UP135543, Set on fire on F train, Brown hair, Pink tote bag, Possibly homeless, *SUSPECT INDICTED*, Dec'24

[Hochman]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Man accused of fatally burning woman on NYC subway indicted for murder and arson, Brooklyn DA says

A grand jury indicted Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of setting a woman on fire on the subway, Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez announced.

www.cbsnews.com

"Found deceased on a F train at Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue station."

"Gonzalez said officials are still working on identifying the victim, but believe she may have been homeless. "Her body was badly burned, and so advanced fingerprinting efforts are being made, as well as advanced DNA evidence to identify her. We have made some progress in that area, but I'm not at liberty to get into specifics now," Gonzalez said. "

ME# - K24-38097

Sex - Female
Race - White
Age Range - 30 - 60
DBF - December 22, 2024
Location - Brooklyn, New York, "F train at Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue station."
Condition - Burned/Charred
PMI - Recent

Height - 5'4
Weight - 197 pounds

Hair Color - Partially gray with blonde/brown portions.
Eye Color - Blue.

Physical features
- Evidence of a previous gastric bypass surgery.
- Evidence of previous dental work.

Belongings
- Pink tote bag

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Oof, I was wondering why they hadn't released her name. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked she hasn't been identified.

 

[cocomod]

Thank you for starting this thread for her. I hope they provide a surveillance video still of her soon (before she was set on fire). We saw clear video of him from inside the train. There must be some of her when she boarded. Rest peacefully now.

 

[Dogwithabone]

According to this article, Officials weighing anthropological facial reconstruction to ID woman burned in NYC subway attack: sources, investigators are pursuing alternative identification methods for the case, such as genetic genealogy and forensic facial reconstruction.

Hopefully, she will be identified soon because the brazen nature of this murder is so tragic.

 

[iamshadow21]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Man accused of fatally burning woman on NYC subway indicted for murder and arson, Brooklyn DA says

A grand jury indicted Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of setting a woman on fire on the subway, Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez announced.

www.cbsnews.com

"Found deceased on a F train at Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue station."

"Gonzalez said officials are still working on identifying the victim, but believe she may have been homeless. "Her body was badly burned, and so advanced fingerprinting efforts are being made, as well as advanced DNA evidence to identify her. We have made some progress in that area, but I'm not at liberty to get into specifics now," Gonzalez said. "

ME# - K24-38097

Sex - Female
Race - White
Age Range - 30 - 60
DBF - December 22, 2024
Location - Brooklyn, New York, "F train at Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue station."
Condition - Burned/Charred
PMI - Recent

Height - 5'4
Weight - 197 pounds

Hair Color - Partially gray with blonde/brown portions.
Eye Color - Blue.

Physical features
- Evidence of a previous gastric bypass surgery.
- Evidence of previous dental work.

Belongings
- Pink tote bag

The existing 'crimes in the news' thread is here, for ease of reference: NY - Female passenger died after being set on fire by man on subway - NYC - December 22, 2024

Don't know what the forum policy is, whether both threads continue. It would make sense that they stay separate with this one exclusively devoted to the identification of the Jane Doe.

 

[Jay392]

I don't like how Namus just gives barebones circumstances, like it makes it seem like someone stumbled upon the body on the train.

 

[Hochman]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

New clothing information added to namus.
- Black coat
- Black pants
- White socks
- Black shoes.
- White sheet.
- Walker.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Circumstances have been updated to say 'Found on a F train at Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue station after being burned.'

 

[iulia]

Her NamUs page is down at the moment.

Cops identify NJ woman as mystery straphanger torched to death in horrific NYC subway attack

The victim in the horrific Dec. 22 caught-on-video arson attack had been so badly scorched that authorities initially struggled to identify her.

nypost.com

[...]
The woman’s ID is being withheld pending family notification.

 

[iamshadow21]

Her NamUs page is down at the moment.

Cops identify NJ woman as mystery straphanger torched to death in horrific NYC subway attack

The victim in the horrific Dec. 22 caught-on-video arson attack had been so badly scorched that authorities initially struggled to identify her.

nypost.com

[...]
The woman’s ID is being withheld pending family notification.

Oh, I really hope so. I hope she's been identified.

Fingers crossed, no communal grave with just a number, honey. You deserve better.

MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

Cops identify NJ woman as mystery straphanger torched to death in horrific NYC subway attack

The victim in the horrific Dec. 22 caught-on-video arson attack had been so badly scorched that authorities initially struggled to identify her.

nypost.com

Identified as Debrina Kawam.

Sleep well, Debrina. You deserved so much better than the cruel end you got.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I've been trying to find a more recent photo of her, but all I have is her senior photo from high school. Rest in peace, Debrina. May you get justice.
(Also - she was 57. Not sure why reports are saying 61.)

The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey

Get this The Herald-News page for free from Wednesday, November 26, 2003 in a to 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 HERALD NEWS CLASSIFIED Wednesday, November 26, 2003 Real Estate For Sale Hom.... Edition of The Herald-News

www.newspapers.com

 

[Otterly]

Cops identify NJ woman as mystery straphanger torched to death in horrific NYC subway attack

The victim in the horrific Dec. 22 caught-on-video arson attack had been so badly scorched that authorities initially struggled to identify her.

nypost.com

Identified as Debrina Kawam.

Sleep well, Debrina. You deserved so much better than the cruel end you got.

From the NY Post article:

"The sources said Kawam had been living in Big Apple shelters since at least Sept. 9, and had been given a bed at the Franklin Williams Women’s Shelter in the Bronx on Nov. 30, but left on Dec. 2.

She had at least three prior scrapes with the police — a transit bust for alcohol on April 28, a 2010 disorderly conduct charge in Maryland in 2010, and a New Jersey prostitution bust in 1994, according to law enforcement sources."

 

[iamshadow21]

From the NY Post article:

"The sources said Kawam had been living in Big Apple shelters since at least Sept. 9, and had been given a bed at the Franklin Williams Women’s Shelter in the Bronx on Nov. 30, but left on Dec. 2.

She had at least three prior scrapes with the police — a transit bust for alcohol on April 28, a 2010 disorderly conduct charge in Maryland in 2010, and a New Jersey prostitution bust in 1994, according to law enforcement sources."

As much as I hate that they're airing her rap sheet, it was probably the '94 one that got her fingerprints on file. I don't know that they would have bothered for the other two. So, because of that, she has her name, and she never has to be buried as a Jane Doe. I doubt she felt grateful in 1994, but I am grateful that she doesn't have to wait now for the dignity of identity after death.

MOO

 

[Dogwithabone]

I found this newspaper from The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey, on October 25, 2003.

The paper indicates that her name was legally changed from Debra Ann Kawam to Debrina Alexus Kawam.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Victim of Coney Island Subway Immolation Is Identified by the Police

Debrina Kawam of Toms River, N.J., was burned alive on Dec. 22 in a videotaped killing that shocked New York.

www.nytimes.com

In a 2008 bankruptcy filing, she wrote that she had not been working “due to illness.”

The police gave an address for Ms. Kawam in Toms River, a small, gray one-story home that had been owned by the victim’s mother in a sprawling retirement community. A neighbor said that until the house was sold in 2024, she would see an older woman and someone Ms. Kawam’s age coming and going.
The older woman seemed to be taking care of the younger woman, who appeared disabled, and would lead her by the hand, said the neighbor, V W.

Ms. Kawam was in New York City as early as April 28, when the police issued her a summons in Midtown Manhattan for drinking on a public sidewalk, according to city records. She was scheduled to appear in June but did not show up. Her social service records show that she stayed at a women’s shelter in the Bronx from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

 

[iamshadow21]

Victim of Coney Island Subway Immolation Is Identified by the Police

Debrina Kawam of Toms River, N.J., was burned alive on Dec. 22 in a videotaped killing that shocked New York.

www.nytimes.com

In a 2008 bankruptcy filing, she wrote that she had not been working “due to illness.”

The police gave an address for Ms. Kawam in Toms River, a small, gray one-story home that had been owned by the victim’s mother in a sprawling retirement community. A neighbor said that until the house was sold in 2024, she would see an older woman and someone Ms. Kawam’s age coming and going.
The older woman seemed to be taking care of the younger woman, who appeared disabled, and would lead her by the hand, said the neighbor, V W.

Ms. Kawam was in New York City as early as April 28, when the police issued her a summons in Midtown Manhattan for drinking on a public sidewalk, according to city records. She was scheduled to appear in June but did not show up. Her social service records show that she stayed at a women’s shelter in the Bronx from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

I heard that the fastest growing demographic of rough sleepers was middle aged to elderly women. Contributing issues including divorce or being widowed, losing source of income or employment, losing affordable housing, illness or addiction, escape of abuse.

The invisible women: The truth about homelessness in Australia - The Handy Guide

thehandyguide.com.au

 

[Brogan_Ninefingers]

Such a horribly sad story. We are failing our most vulnerable in our society.