A gruesome crime: Man beheaded in front of his wife and child at a Dallas motel
A homicide at a Dallas motel reopens the immigration debate in the US after it was revealed that the accused is a Latino citizen with a criminal record
On September 10, 2025, a gruesome crime shocked Dallas after a man identified as Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old Cuban citizen, was arrested after murdering the manager of a motel in Old East Dallas.
The attack occurred at the Downtown Suites, located off Interstate 30 and near the Tenison Golf Course. According to police, the incident began with an argument over a broken washing machine and escalated into a machete-wielding homicide.
According to court documents, the victim was identified as Chandra Mouli Nagamallaiah, 50, an Indian national and the manager of the establishment. The altercation arose when he asked Cobos-Martinez not to use the washing machine, which led to a verbal confrontation.
Witnesses said the attacker left the room, grabbed a machete, and attacked Nagamallaiah repeatedly while the victim tried to flee toward the main office. His wife and son witnessed the attack and unsuccessfully attempted to stop the suspect.
Police reported that Cobos-Martinez stole the victim's belongings during the attack, then continued beating and slashing him until he died. According to the affidavit, the defendant even carried the victim's remains to a dumpster before being arrested.
Cobos-Martinez was followed by the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department, who alerted police as the suspect walked away, bloodied, holding the machete. He was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters, where he admitted to the crime.
Authorities confirmed that he faces a capital murder charge and remains in immigration custody without bail.
Criminal History and Immigration Status
The case gained further relevance when it became known that Cobos-Martínez had a criminal record in the United States and an active deportation order.
In 2017, he was arrested in California for vehicle theft under violent circumstances.
In recent years, he had accumulated felony charges in Houston and Florida.
In January 2025, ICE released him despite his deportation order, claiming there was no significant likelihood of repatriation to Cuba, a country that refused to accept him due to his criminal history.
This kept him under immigration supervision until the time of the crime.
The statement emphasized that Nagamallaiah's life was "taken in a brutal attack in front of his loved ones, who bravely tried to defend him."
The case sparked a debate about immigration and deportation policies in the United States, as Cobos-Martínez remained free despite having a deportation order.