In a tragic incident that took place in Dallas, Texas, an Indian-origin man from Karnataka, Chandra Mouli Nagamalliah, was brutally murdered, allegedly by a Cuban national.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since announced it has begun the process to remove the accused, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez.
Reports indicate that Nagamalliah, a 50-year-old, was working as a motel manager when he was killed at his workplace on Thursday. The horrific details of the attack emerged on Friday following the circulation of CCTV footage on social media.
In a public statement, ICE confirmed it had lodged a detainer for Cobos-Martinez, described as an "illegal alien", who was taken into custody by local Dallas authorities on homicide charges.
The agency noted that Cobos-Martinez had a previous removal order to Cuba. He was released on an Order of Supervision on January 13, 2025, after being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Centre in Dallas. ICE further stated that Cobos-Martinez's release was due to Cuba refusing to accept him because of his criminal record.
The statement also detailed the accused's extensive criminal history, which includes a rap sheet with offences such as child sex abuse, grand theft of a motor vehicle, false imprisonment, and carjacking. He was arrested by the Dallas Police Department on September 10 at a motel for the murder.
According to reports, court documents reveal that the 37-year-old suspect, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, allegedly used a machete to attack Nagamalliah. The assault reportedly followed a dispute over a broken washing machine at the motel.
CCTV footage of the incident shows the accused repeatedly stabbing and slashing Nagamalliah inside the motel. Despite the victim's attempts to escape and his wife and son trying to intervene, the assault continued. The footage then shows Cobos-Martinez continuing the attack until Nagamallaiah was decapitated, with his head rolling into the car park. Cobos-Martinez then picked up the head and placed it in a dustbin before first responders arrived.
He is said to have fled the scene shortly after but was arrested a short distance away, covered in blood and still carrying the machete, along with the victim’s key card and mobile phone.
Meanwhile, funeral services for Nagamallaiah are scheduled for Saturday. A fundraiser has been started to help his family with funeral costs, immediate living expenses, and his son’s education.
Also read: Indian-origin man beheaded in Texas motel attack
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