Kawam was identified through fingerprint analysis and her death from thermal and inhalation injuries was ruled a homicide, said Julie Bolcer, a spokesman for the office of chief medical examiner.

New York City mayor Eric Adams said Kawam “had a brief stint in our homeless shelter system,” without giving further details.

Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen, was charged with murder and arson after allegedly lighting Kawam on fire and watching her burn to death at a subway station.

Zapeta was arrested about six hours after police say he used a lighter to ignite the clothes of Kawam who appeared to be dozing on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stop in Brooklyn.

The suspect entered the US without authorisation in 2018 and was deported to Guatemala a few days later. It was unclear when he unlawfully re-entered, the US department of homeland security (DHS) said.

There appeared to have been no prior interaction between the assailant, a Brooklyn man, and Kawam, police have said.

The DHS statement said it would pursue removal proceedings again whenever Zapeta is released from New York custody, which could include a lengthy prison sentence if he is convicted.