Three Brooklyn Teens Claim $10,000 Reward in Subway Fire Horror

If one of the most horrific crimes in New York City history—the murder of a homeless woman, Debrina Kawam, who on the morning of December 22 was burned alive on an F train at Coney Island.—If the murder which gnarned national headlines could be said to have the slightest silver lining, it was that her alleged killer was quickly caught.

Still, it took over a day for her alleged killer, Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala who was then residing at Samaritan Daytop Village, a homeless shelter and substance abuse treatment center in East New York, Brooklyn, to be spotted—not by NYPD cops but a of trio high school students on a Queens-bound F train at 34th Street-Herald Square.

Recognizing the dark skinned, Zapeta-Calil as the man seen in a series of terrifying images and a video that quickly went viral—a woman and the contents of her shopping cart fully ablaze while, s her killer stands there calmly watching the fire dance—the three teenagers—friends and basketball teammates— from Bensonhurst, did what they were taught to do—they called 911.

Thankfully, it was the right thing to do, cops swiftly responded halted the train at 34th St. and slowly began searching the cars. Zapeta-Calil was arrested. Soon, cops allege that he told them he was drunk, and high on K2, a synthetic marijuana, and didn’t remember anything. In Brooklyn, Zapeta-Calil was charged with second degree murder, sent to Rikers Island—no bail for this madman—and plead not guilty. His next court date is scheduled for March 12.

As for the woman Zapeta-Calil allegedly immolated, it took more than a week to identify “the subway victim” as 57-year-old New Jersey native Debrina Kawam. Suffering from mental illness, Kawam had entered NYC homeless shelters in September 2024 but found them so terrifying, life on the subway seemed better, In early January, the New York Times did a commendable job retrieving Kawam, once a bright and joyous young woman who attended high school in Toms River, NJ., from the tragic anonymity infamy that was nearly her fate.

Meanwhile, what remained almost forgotten were the three boys, Navid, Christos and Kingson who effected Zapeta-Calil’s capture. (The boys’ families requested their surnames not be used.)

This wasn’t just a matter of honor— which their local City Council Member, Susan Zhuang, did for the Bensonhurst boys by citing them for their bravery, but also money: namely, the $10,000 reward offered by NYPD’s Crimestoppers for information leading to the then unknown subway immolator’s arrest.

While the youths made their call with the purest of public intention—to protect their city from immediate danger— afterwards, the fact that they were entitled to a publicly offered reward did not escape their attention, or that of their parents.

Enter NYPD which, as many a cop will tell you themselves, is more than capable of figuratively shooting itself in the foot when it comes to good publicity.

Instead of actively seeking out the teen trio and arranging some kind of ceremony, NYPD gave them the run around. A 60th Precinct detective told them the reward wasn’t actually NYPD but rather Crime Stoppers—try there.

Meanwhile, someone at Crime Stoppers—which is a public-private partnership between the NYPD and the Police Foundation—told them no, calling 911 doesn’t count. You have to call Crime Stoppers 800-577-TIPS line. This statement is absurd, and was treated as such when the New York Post picked up the story on January 17.

One detail the Post overlooked is that Crime Stoppers very own website says—in red letters even—on their internet tip page: Call 911 if this an emergency or a crime in progress.

Queried by the Post, NYPD’s often diffident press department, known as DCPI, responded: “NYPD Crime Stoppers Program offers cash rewards for anonymous information provided to the 1-800-577-TIPS hotline that leads to the arrest and indictment of a violent felon. This program is supported by the New York Police Foundation and focuses on solving high priority violent crimes.”

Queried by Straus News for a follow-up to that statement, DCPI didn’t respond at all.

The NYC Police Foundation was similarly recalcitrant but, happily, the power of the press had its way and the very same day, it was announced that the boys would get their rewards.

Indeed, the boys were called by NYPD themselves, a welcome turnabout and one that augurs well both for both increased public safety—because people are reassured that doing good deeds can pay off— and a heightened sense of ethics, and accountability in the Jessica Tisch-era NYPD.

As for Crime Stoppers, the best way to follow them is on social media: X, Facebook or Instagram.

By comparison, their website is clunky and at present, its archives are difficult and perhaps impossible to access. This is no minor issue when it comes to unsolved crimes.

Take the Moped Maniac, for example, who on July 23 hit two men on a Hell’s Kitchen sidewalk, punched them both, and killing one, a German émigré named Florian Oltmann.

With no easy way to find the suspect’s original Crime Stoppers Wanted Poster, what hope is there that the public might offer the tip helps NYPD bring Oltmann’s killer to justice?