Adones Betances made his first court appearance virtually on Friday after being charged in the death of an 18-year-old.
The 22-year-old is being charged with murder in the second-degree and manslaughter in the first-degree in the death of Winston Ortiz.
Betances is accused of stabbing Ortiz three times before lighting him on fire, according to officials.
Ortiz later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Both families of the victim and the defendant were present.
“To die like that in agony, and on top of that, burning. I want justice, I want justice because my son didn't deserve to die like that. No human being deserves to die like that,” said Ortiz’s mother, Joan Tamares.
Betances did not apply for bail and therefore will be held. He is expected to appear in court again in front of a grand jury on Tuesday.