A Cuban immigrant previously released from ICE custody has been charged with capital murder after allegedly beheading his Dallas motel manager in front of the victim’s family.
A Cuban national with a violent criminal history has been charged with capital murder after allegedly beheading his motel manager in front of the victim’s family in Dallas, authorities said Thursday.
Police identified the suspect as Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, who reportedly attacked Chandra Nagamallaiah, 50, during an argument at the Downtown Suites motel on Wednesday morning.
According to an arrest affidavit, the dispute began after Nagamallaiah instructed Cobos-Martinez not to use a broken washing machine.
Enraged that a co-worker was asked to translate in English rather than address him in Spanish, Cobos-Martinez allegedly left the room, returned with a machete, and slashed his boss.
Nagamallaiah fled toward the motel office, where his wife and son were present, but the suspect pursued and “continued to slaughter him until his head was removed from his body,” the affidavit said. Witnesses told police the attacker kicked the victim’s head “like a soccer ball” before dumping it in a dumpster.
Cobos-Martinez was arrested nearby, still holding the machete. ICE confirmed he had been released from federal custody in January because Cuba refused repatriation. “This barbaric criminal was released because Cuba would not accept him,” an ICE spokesperson said.
He is being held without bond.