A 50-year-old Indian origin man working as a motel manager in Dallas, Texas, was brutally beheaded in front of his wife and teenage son on Wednesday following an argument with a colleague over a washing machine.
The suspect, 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, has been arrested by the police on charges of capital murder. Martinez will remain in custody without bond, and if found guilty, he will face lifetime imprisonment without parole or death penalty.
The victim, Chandra Mouli "Bob" Nagamallaiah, who originally belonged to Karnataka, was employed at the Downtown Suites Motel in Dallas, Texas. According to the Dallas Police Department, he got into a dispute with Cobos-Martinez over a malfunctioning washing machine, PTI reported.
The police stated that a fellow motel worker said that she was cleaning a room with Cobos-Martinez when Nagamallaiah came and instructed them not to use the faulty washing machine. The argument began when Nagamallaiah asked another person to translate his instructions rather than speaking directly to Cobos-Martinez, which enraged him.
Visuals show Cobos-Martinez leaving the dispute scene and then returning with a machete to attack Nagamallaiah. The victim tried to escape, running towards the motel office where his wife and son were present. They tried to protect Nagamallaiah, but Cobos-Martinez conducted the fatal assault in front of his family. Cobos-Martinez continued attacking Nagamallaiah "until his head was removed from his body."
Preliminary investigation reveals that Cobos-Martinez, who is a Cuban, holds a prior criminal record in Houston, including arrests for auto theft and assault. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Cuba refused to take him back, owing to his criminal record. While Nagamallaiah, who was affectionately known as "Bob," is said to be a caring and loving man who was entirely devoted to his wife and son.
The Indian community in Dallas gathered to support the bereaved family, and is also raising funds for the funeral expenses of Nagamallaiah, the family's immediate costs, and the college education of his teenage son.
They said, "This unimaginable tragedy was not only sudden, but traumatic. Bob's life was taken in a brutal attack that occurred in front of his wife and son, who bravely tried to protect him. The shocking nature of this event has shaken our community."
The Consulate General of India in Houston took to X to condole the death of Nagamalliah, calling the attack as "tragic" and "brutal". The post read, "We are in touch ith the family and offering all possible assistance. The accused is in the custody of Dallas Police."
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.…
— India in Houston (@cgihou) September 11, 2025
