'This is horrific': Republican Leader Vivek Ramaswamy condemns beheading of Indian-origin motel manager in Dallas

Vivek Ramaswamy reacts to Indian-origin Chandra Nagamallaiah

Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy reacted to the murder of Chandra Nagamallaiah, an Indian-origin motel manager, in Dallas, Texas. He described the killing as “horrific” and condemned the lawlessness, stating it is “time for rule of law.”.

Taking to X, Ramaswamy noted that the illegal immigrant responsible had a criminal history so severe that even Cuba refused to accept him.

“An innocent Dallas hotel manager was brutally beheaded in front of his wife & son, by an illegal migrant who had a final order of removal & such a bad criminal history that Cuba refused to accept him,” Ramaswamy wrote on X.

“He was released on Jan 13, right before Biden left office. This is horrific. It’s time to restore the rule of law,” Ramaswamy said.

An innocent Dallas hotel manager was brutally beheaded in front of his wife & son, by an illegal migrant who had a final order of removal & such a bad criminal history that Cuba refused to accept him. He was released on Jan 13, right before Biden left office. This is horrific.… https://t.co/cwzhSXUDBO

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) September 13, 2025

Chandra Nagamallaiah, a 50-year-old from Karnataka, was beheaded by a co-worker, Cobos-Martinez, in front of his wife and son following a dispute over a washing machine.

Nagamallaiah had reportedly asked Martinez not to use a broken washing machine, after which Martinez took out a machete and attacked him.

Dallas Police confirmed that the murder was captured on motel CCTV cameras, though the footage has not been officially released amid reports of unofficial leaks. Multiple stakeholders manage the motel’s surveillance system.

Cobos-Martinez became enraged when Nagamallaiah asked another person to translate his instructions instead of addressing him directly. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Cobos-Martinez attacking Nagamallaiah with a machete.

The victim fled toward the motel office, where his wife and 18-year-old son were present. They tried to intervene, but Cobos-Martinez pushed them away and continued the attack, taking Nagamallaiah’s cell phone and key card before resuming until his head “was removed from his body,” according to a court affidavit.

“The suspect then kicked the [Nagamallaiah]’s head twice into the parking lot and proceeded to pick it up and carry it to the dumpster and put it inside,” police said.

Authorities described the crime as “unthinkable.” Cobos-Martinez is being held without bond and, if convicted, could face life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.