Houston (US): A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager was brutally beheaded in Dallas, Texas, in the US, on Wednesday after a dispute with a co-worker. The killing took place in front of his wife and his 18-year-old son in broad daylight.
The most chilling details emerged through CCTV footage, now central to the investigation. Surveillance cameras captured the accused, identified as 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, retrieving a machete before charging at the victim, Chandra Mouli 'Bob' Nagamallaiah, outside the Downtown Suites motel. In the video, the suspect can be seen sprinting behind Nagamallaiah, grabbing him and launching a violent assault amid piercing screams.
Graphic Footage Warning: Visuals can be disturbing. Viewers' discretion advised.
Another clip shows Nagamallaiah desperately fleeing toward the motel office where his wife and 18-year-old son were present. The attacker pursued him inside, ignoring their desperate attempts to intervene. In front of his terrified family, Cobos-Martinez slit Nagamallaiah’s throat, an act that left his family horrified.
Accused Seen Walking With Victim's Severed Head
Perhaps the most disturbing sequence comes from footage in the parking lot. The victim’s severed head is seen rolling several feet before the accused returns into frame. He is seen wiping his hands, casually lifting the head and placing it against a wall. The video then shows him walking calmly toward the road even as emergency vehicles arrive, while panicked pedestrians run from the scene.
Police later confirmed that the argument stemmed from a broken washing machine. Cobos-Martinez, with prior arrests in Houston for auto theft and assault, allegedly grew furious after Nagamallaiah asked someone else to translate instructions instead of addressing him directly.
Accused Arrested
The suspect has since been arrested and charged with capital murder, reported PTI. He is being held without bond and prosecutors have indicated he could face either life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
Nagamallaiah, known as 'Bob' to friends and family, was originally from Karnataka. He was remembered as a loving husband and devoted father. Community members described him as kind-hearted and deeply respected. “This unimaginable tragedy was not only sudden but deeply traumatic,” a friend said.
A fundraiser has been set up to assist the family with funeral expenses, immediate living costs, and the college education of his son. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday.
