A gruesome killing at a Dallas motel ended with one man dead and another facing a capital murder charge after police say the victim was decapitated with a machete on Wednesday morning.
Authorities identified the victim as 50-year-old Chandra Nagamallaiah and the suspect as 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez. He is being held on a capital murder charge in connection with the attack.
Dozens of police vehicles surrounded the Downtown Suites motel on Samuell Boulevard near Interstate 30 after officers were called to a reported stabbing around 9:30 a.m. Dallas Fire-Rescue also responded, but Nagamallaiah died at the scene, according to local ABC affiliate WFAA.
An arrest affidavit details how the violence unfolded. According to investigators, a witness told police she and Cobos-Martinez had been cleaning a motel room when Nagamallaiah approached and told the suspect not to use a broken washing machine.
The witness said Cobos-Martinez became angry because the victim spoke through her as a translator instead of directly to him. Surveillance video captured Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, pulling out a machete, and repeatedly attacking Nagamallaiah, who tried to flee toward the motel office.
Local NBC affiliate KXAS, The affidavit says Cobos-Martinez searched through the victim’s pockets and stole items during the assault. He also fought off the victim’s wife and son, who attempted to intervene. Stephanie Elliott, who witnessed the attack, told WFAA that the suspect chased and stabbed the victim even after he fell to the ground.
“He just kept hitting him and hitting until he decapitated him,” Elliott said. “I could not believe that anybody would do another human being that way.” Dallas Police Executive Assistant Chief Terrence Rhodes credited nearby patrol officers with responding quickly to apprehend the suspect.
“Our officers were proactively patrolling the area and responded quickly to take the violent criminal into custody,” Rhodes said. “Even though [the suspect] was armed with a bladed weapon, the officers showed tremendous restraint and used minimal force to apprehend him.
This violent crime will not go unpunished, and our department will thoroughly investigate and bring charges against the suspect.” Cobos-Martinez was arrested a block away. Immigration and Customs Enforcement later confirmed he had been previously detained at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson until January 13.
When he was released, it was because there were “no removal flights to Cuba.” ICE added that Cuba refused to accept him due to his criminal record. Officials said Cobos-Martinez has a violent history, with court records showing multiple prior charges. The case remains under investigation.