Congress usually focuses on passing laws and petty politics. Not dealing out death.
But now you won’t believe who this Congresswoman begged to be executed.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is demanding swift and decisive justice for Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused of the horrific m*rder of a woman who was burned alive on a New York City subway. Greene has called for the death penalty, voicing her frustration and anger over the gruesome crime that has shocked the nation.
Taking to social media on Tuesday, Greene minced no words in her reaction to the case, in which Guatemalan national Sebastian Zapeta, 33, allegedly set a woman on fire inside a Brooklyn subway car. “Death penalty, don’t waste money on a lengthy trial. Convict him and finish him. What he did is so incredibly evil,” Greene declared on X, formerly Twitter.
Her post also expressed disbelief at the apparent lack of immediate help for the victim. “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 has been charged with first- and second-degree m*rder as well as first-degree arson. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. However, Greene and several other Republican lawmakers have made it clear that they believe the ultimate punishment is warranted for such a heinous crime.
Greene is not alone in her outcry. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., also took to social media to advocate for the death penalty, succinctly tweeting, “Death penalty.”
Similarly, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., criticized Democratic policies, drawing a direct connection between the incident and what he characterized as a failure of progressive criminal justice reforms. “A woman was intentionally lit on fire on the subway today. Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies do not work,” he wrote on X.
Details of the crime paint a horrifying picture. New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed that Zapeta allegedly “used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”
The fire was reportedly made worse when Zapeta fanned the flames with a shirt, according to Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg during a court hearing on Tuesday.
The incident has left the community and nation reeling. Videos of the attack circulated online, sparking outrage and debates over public safety, immigration policy, and the adequacy of New York City’s approach to violent crime.
The lack of immediate intervention by bystanders, as noted by Greene, has only deepened the sense of horror and helplessness surrounding the event.
Adding to the controversy is Zapeta’s immigration status. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson revealed that Zapeta had been deported from the United States in 2018. Despite this, he re-entered the country illegally at an unknown date and location.
This revelation has fueled a renewed push from Republicans to strengthen border security and immigration enforcement. Greene and others have highlighted the case as an example of the consequences of lax policies on illegal immigration.
Zapeta is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday, according to public records. As the legal process unfolds, calls for justice—both swift and severe—continue to echo loudly across social media and within political circles.
For Greene and her allies, this case is more than just a tragic incident; it’s a rallying cry for tougher crime policies and stricter border enforcement.
The horrific attack has also reignited broader conversations about safety in public spaces. New York City subways have long been a focal point of concern, with rising incidents of violent crime drawing criticism from residents and lawmakers alike. While city officials have vowed to address the issue, cases like this one suggest that much more needs to be done to ensure the safety of commuters.
As the nation watches this case unfold, the debate over justice, crime policy, and immigration is sure to intensify. For many, including Greene, the brutal nature of this crime demands nothing less than the harshest possible punishment.
Whether the legal system will deliver remains to be seen, but the political and social implications are already reverberating far beyond the confines of New York City.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
