A tragic and brutal incident occurred at a Dallas motel on September 10, where a man of Indian origin was violently killed, according to police reports. The victim, identified as 50-year-old Chandramouli Nagamallaiah, was reportedly beheaded in front of his wife and son during a horrific altercation.
The attack happened at the Downtown Suites motel, situated just off Interstate 30 near the Tenison Golf Course in Texas. Aerial footage from SKY 4 showed crime scene tape cordoning off the area, with a privacy partition set up near a body lying on the pavement.
Dallas Police have identified Yordanis Cobos-Martinez as the suspect in the fatal attack. He has been arrested and charged with capital murder. According to jail records, Cobos-Martinez is being held without bond and is also under an immigration detainer.
The Indian government responded to the tragic incident through the Consulate General of India in Houston, which expressed deep condolences over the death of Chandramouli Nagamallaiah. Officials confirmed they are in contact with the victim’s family and are providing all possible support.
In a post on X, the Consulate stated: “Consulate General of India, Houston, condoles the tragic death of Mr. Chandra Nagamallaiah, an Indian National, killed brutally at his workplace in Dallas, TX. We are in touch with the family and offering all possible assistance. The accused is in the custody of Dallas Police. We are following up on the matter closely.”
According to the arrest affidavit obtained by sources, the incident began when Chandramouli Nagamallaiah approached Yordanis Cobos-Martinez and a female coworker while they were cleaning a motel room. He reportedly advised them not to use a washing machine that was already broken.
The affidavit states that Cobos-Martinez became enraged because Nagamallaiah spoke through the female coworker, who was translating, instead of addressing him directly. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, pulling a machete from his clothing, and launching a brutal attack.
Nagamallaiah attempted to flee, running through the motel parking lot and screaming for help, but the suspect pursued him and continued the assault with the machete.
The affidavit states that Nagamallaiah’s wife and son, who were in the front office at the time, rushed outside in an attempt to intervene. However, the suspect, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, pushed them away multiple times and continued his violent attack.
Cobos-Martinez repeatedly hacked at Nagamallaiah, ultimately decapitating him. CCTV footage captured the suspect kicking the victim’s head twice into the parking lot before picking it up and carrying it to a dumpster. Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel, who were in the vicinity at the time, spotted the suspect covered in blood and followed him until police arrived and took him into custody. According to investigators, Cobos-Martinez admitted to using a machete to kill Nagamallaiah. Authorities have not yet determined whether the attack was premeditated.
