Indian-origin man beheaded over washing machine dispute

Dallas: A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager, Chandra (or Chandramouli) Nagamallaiah, was brutally killed at the Downtown Suites motel in Dallas following an argument over a broken washing machine.

According to Dallas Police and witness accounts, the altercation began when Nagamallaiah asked a coworker, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, not to use a malfunctioning washing machine. Cobos-Martinez allegedly took offense because Nagamallaiah asked a third party to translate the message instead of speaking to him directly.

Surveillance footage shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, returning with a machete, and attacking Nagamallaiah multiple times. Nagamallaiah ran toward the motel office, where his wife and 18-year-old son were present and attempted to intervene. Despite their efforts, Cobos-Martinez allegedly continued the assault until Nagamallaiah was decapitated.

After the attack, Cobos-Martinez reportedly kicked the victim’s severed head into the parking lot, then picked it up and placed it in a dumpster. He was found by authorities nearby, still in possession of the machete, as well as Nagamallaiah’s mobile phone and key card.

According to a CBS News report, Cobos-Martinez is in custody and charged with capital murder. He is being held without bond, and an immigration detainer has been placed on him. The case remains under investigation.