Dallas: Indian-origin man beheaded at motel in front of wife & son; suspect arrested with machete

A 50-year-old Indian-origin man, Chandramouli Nagamallaiah, was brutally beheaded in front of his wife and son during a violent dispute at a Dallas motel in US, police said.

The attack took place on the morning of September 10 at the Downtown Suites motel on Samuell Boulevard, east of Downtown Dallas.


According to Police, the suspect, 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, beheaded Nagamallaiah in front of his wife and son during a violent confrontation. Cobos-Martinez, who also worked at the motel, has been arrested and charged with capital murder.

According to an arrest affidavit released Thursday, the attack stemmed from an argument over the use of a broken washing machine.

Nagamallaiah had reportedly told Cobos-Martinez and a female colleague not to use it while they were cleaning a motel room, CBS news reported.

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The affidavit notes Cobos-Martinez became upset because the victim relayed the message through the female colleague, who acted as a translator, rather than addressing him directly.

According to CBS news, video evidence cited in the affidavit shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, pulling a machete “from his person,” and attacking Nagamallaiah.

A witness, another motel employee, told police, “He chased him from 108 all the way to the office. The man was trying to get into the office to tell his family.”

Nagamallaiah ran screaming toward the motel office where his wife and son were present. They tried to intervene multiple times, but police said Cobos-Martinez pushed them aside and continued the assault.

Investigators said the suspect then removed Nagamallaiah’s cell phone and key card before resuming the attack until the victim’s head “was removed from his body.”

The affidavit adds that Cobos-Martinez kicked the victim’s head twice into the parking lot before picking it up, carrying it to a dumpster, and placing it inside.

Images from the scene showed crime scene tape surrounding the motel and a partition near a body on the sidewalk.

Suspect held with machete; faces immigration hold

Dallas Fire-Rescue crews arriving at the scene spotted Cobos-Martinez still carrying the machete and covered in blood. They followed him until police arrived and arrested him.

During interrogation, police said Cobos-Martinez admitted to the crime. He is now being held at Dallas County Jail on a capital murder charge, with records also showing an immigration hold.

According to records, Cobos-Martinez has a criminal history, including arrests for auto theft in Florida, as well as charges of assault and indecency with a child in Houston.