A horrifying crime shocked the Indian community in Texas when Chandra Nagamallaiah, a 50-year-old motel manager, was brutally murdered inside his workplace in Dallas. Police said he was beheaded by a coworker following an argument about the use of a washing machine.
According to investigators, the incident took place at the Downtown Suites motel on Wednesday morning. Nagamallaiah reportedly instructed his colleague, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez (37), not to use a broken washing machine. Instead of speaking to him directly, he conveyed the message through another worker, which angered Cobos-Martinez.
Witnesses told police that Cobos-Martinez stormed out, returned with a machete, and chased Nagamallaiah. The victim attempted to run towards the motel’s office, where his wife and son were present, but the suspect attacked him repeatedly. Family members tried to intervene but were pushed aside. Nagamallaiah was fatally struck and later decapitated in the assault.
Police said the suspect then took personal belongings from the victim’s pockets, placed the severed head in a dumpster, and fled the scene. He was soon caught nearby, covered in blood and still carrying the weapon.
Authorities confirmed that Cobos-Martinez has a past criminal record, including auto theft and assault. He now faces a capital murder charge and is being held without bail. An immigration detainer has also been placed against him.
The Indian Consulate in Houston expressed deep sorrow over the brutal killing and assured support to the grieving family. Community members in Dallas described Nagamallaiah as a hardworking immigrant who had lived in the U.S. for many years.
The investigation is ongoing as police work to piece together the full sequence of events that led to this shocking act of violence.
