Highlights:
- Prosecutors say the accused may face life without parole, not the death penalty.
- The victim, an Indian-origin motel manager, was killed after an argument.
- The attack was captured on surveillance video and witnessed by the victim’s family.
- The accused has a long history of crimes and immigration violations.
- The decision has triggered criticism against the Dallas DA’s office.
A Cuban man accused of killing and beheading his Indian-origin employer at a motel in Dallas, Texas, may not face the death penalty. Prosecutors from the Dallas County District Attorney's Office have said that they currently do not plan to seek the death sentence for 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez.
Instead, the most serious punishment he may face is life in prison without the possibility of parole. They shared this update during a recent court hearing. However, prosecutors have also said they can change their decision by January 8, as the investigation is continuing.
This development has upset many people, especially because the murder was extremely violent and disturbing, and because the accused has a history of crimes and immigration issues.
The incident happened on September 10 at Downtown Suites Dallas. According to police and media reports, Cobos-Martinez worked at the motel and argued with his manager, 50-year-old Chandramouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, over a broken washing machine. After the argument, surveillance cameras recorded Cobos-Martinez following Nagamallaiah outside while carrying a machete.
Video footage shows that he used the machete to attack the manager, even as the victim’s wife and son tried to stop him. He then severed Nagamallaiah’s head in front of them. Witnesses told police that after the attack, Cobos-Martinez kicked the head across the parking lot and then threw it into a dumpster before trying to run away. Police caught him soon after.
Reports also show that Cobos-Martinez entered the US illegally and had a removal order to Cuba. However, Cuba refused to take him back because of his criminal history, so he was released under supervision by US immigration officials in January 2025. His past includes several troubling incidents.
In 2017, he was arrested in Florida for grand theft auto, though the case was later dropped. He was also involved in a naked carjacking attempt in California, for which he was convicted of false imprisonment. In Texas, he was accused of assaulting a jail guard while already facing a charge of indecency with a child.
Because of these factors, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on him so he can be deported after his criminal trial.
The murder has drawn national attention. President Donald Trump strongly criticized the attack and blamed former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. On his Truth Social account, Trump wrote that the US must stop being “soft” on illegal immigrant criminals and that the suspect would be prosecuted fully under the law, including being charged with first-degree murder.
Meanwhile, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot is facing criticism. Some of his opponents call him “Let-em-Go Creuzot,” accusing him of being too lenient on crime. Local reports say that many violent offenders in Dallas have been released from custody in recent years, which has added to public anger over decisions like this one.
