Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls for Death Penalty in NYC Subway Arson Case

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has called for the immediate trial, conviction, and execution of Sebastian Zapeta, a Guatemalan national accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a New York City subway train.

“Death penalty, don’t waste money on a lengthy trial. Convict him and finish him. What he did is so incredibly evil,” Greene wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I can’t watch the video anymore. And how it seems like no one tried to save her is beyond me. Maybe they did but it doesn’t seem like it.”

Zapeta, 33, is charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree arson. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Calls for Justice

Greene’s comments come amid outrage over the gruesome crime, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., echoing her sentiments on social media, tweeting simply, “Death penalty.”

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., also weighed in, blaming Democratic policies for creating an environment that allowed the attack to occur. “A woman was intentionally lit on fire on the subway today. Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies do not work,” Biggs posted on X.

The suspect, previously deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2018, is believed to have re-entered the country illegally at an unknown time and location, according to an ICE spokesperson.

Incident Details

According to New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Zapeta “used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.” Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg revealed in court that Zapeta allegedly fanned the flames with a shirt, worsening the attack.

The incident has reignited debates around immigration enforcement and criminal justice reform, with critics highlighting failures in current policies.

Zapeta is scheduled to appear in court again on December 27.