Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, a 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager, was brutally beheaded in front of his wife and son in Texas after a dispute over a washing machine turned violent.
Police have arrested his co-worker, 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, and charged him with capital murder. The killing took place on Wednesday morning at the Downtown Suites motel in Dallas.
Who was the victim?
Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, originally from Karnataka, was the manager of the Downtown Suites motel, where he also lived with his family. Known among friends and relatives as a devoted husband, caring father and kind individual, Nagamallaiah was deeply respected within his community.
A fundraiser has since been launched to support his wife and 18-year-old son, with contributions meant for funeral expenses, immediate living needs and his son’s education. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday.
How a dispute turned deadly
According to Dallas Police, the confrontation began over a malfunctioning washing machine. Nagamallaiah asked a third person to translate his instructions, which angered Cobos-Martinez, PTI reported.
Surveillance video showed Cobos-Martinez retrieving a machete, chasing Nagamallaiah and attacking him, even as his wife and son tried desperately to intervene.
The accused and his past record
Cobos-Martinez, a Cuban national, has a history of arrests in Houston for assault and auto theft. He is currently being held without bond in the Dallas County Jail under an immigration detainer.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed he had previously been released after Cuba declined to accept his return because of his criminal record. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.
Disturbing details in affidavit
An affidavit cited by NBC News said footage captured Cobos-Martinez leaving a room, brandishing a machete and repeatedly stabbing and slashing Nagamallaiah.
It stated the victim fled toward the motel’s front office, but the suspect pursued him and continued the attack. Cobos-Martinez then removed a cellphone and key card from Nagamallaiah’s pockets before continuing the assault “until his head was removed from his body,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit further alleged that Cobos-Martinez kicked Nagamallaiah’s severed head into the parking lot, picked it up and threw it into a dumpster.
First responders spotted the suspect attempting to flee the scene and arrested him about a block away.
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