Indian-origin motel manager beheaded in US; co-worker arrested

A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager in the US was beheaded in front of his wife and son in Texas following a dispute over a washing machine, police said.

The suspect, a co-worker with a criminal record, has been arrested and charged with capital murder.

The incident took place on Wednesday morning at the Downtown Suites motel in Dallas.

Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, originally from Karnataka, was killed after a dispute over a broken washing machine with his 37-year-old Cuban co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, according to the Dallas Police Department.

Cobos-Martinez reportedly became enraged when Nagamallaiah asked another person to translate his instructions instead of addressing him directly.

Surveillance footage showed Cobos-Martinez attacking Nagamallaiah with a machete.

The victim fled toward the motel office, where his wife and 18-year-old son were present.

Nagamallaiah's wife and son tried to intervene several times, but Cobos-Martinez pushed them away and continued the attack. He then took the victim's cell phone and key card from his pockets before again resuming the attack until Nagamallaiah's head "was removed from his body", police said in court affidavit.

"The suspect then kicked the [Nagamallaiah's] head twice into the parking lot and proceeded to pick it up and carry it to the dumpster and put it inside," police said.

The crime is “unthinkable”, they said.

Cobos-Martine is being held without bond. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.

According to official records, he has been arrested twice for auto theft in Florida and has indecency with a child and assault charges in Houston. The records also show an immigration hold.

ICE officials said Cobos-Martine was released under supervision earlier this year due to the lack of deportation flights to Cuba.

The Consulate General of India in Houston condoled the death of Nagamallaiah and said it is following up on the matter closely.

"We are in touch with the family and offering all possible assistance. The accused is in the custody of Dallas Police," it said in a post on X.

Consul General D C Manjunath told PTI that the mission is providing full consular support to the victim's family.

Known as Bob to friends and family, Nagamallaiah was remembered as a loving husband, devoted father, and kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he knew.

This unimaginable tragedy was not only sudden but "deeply traumatic", friends said. “Bob’s life was taken in a brutal attack that occurred in front of his wife and son, who bravely tried to protect him. The shocking nature of this event has shaken our community.” Friends, family, and community groups, including SEWA International, have come together to support Nagamallaiah's family.

A fundraiser set up by his friend Tanmay Patel has raised over USD 50,000 and is still ongoing.

SEWA’s Dallas chapter president Gitesh Desai told PTI: “We are deeply saddened by this heinous crime. The entire community has been shocked, especially after seeing the gruesome CCTV footage circulating online. We are committed to supporting the family in every possible way.” Funeral services for Nagamallaiah are scheduled for Saturday.