Motel worker accused of beheading manager in Texas, reports say

A man in Dallas, Texas, is accused of using a machete to behead his boss in front of his family at the motel where they both worked, according to local reports that cite arresting documents.

The Dallas Police Department identified Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, as the suspect in the attack Wednesday morning, Sept. 10, at the motel in the 3400 block of Samuell Boulevard.

Chandra Nagamallaiah, 50, was confirmed to be the victim, and on Friday, Sept. 12, police said Cobos-Martinez had been arrested on a capital murder charge.

During the brutal attack, which took place around 9:30 p.m. at Downtown Suites just off Interstate 30, police said in a news release that their preliminary investigation determined that Cobos-Martinez "cut the victim with an edged weapon several times."

Upon Dallas Fire-Rescue's arrival at the scene, Nagamallaiah died, police said in the release.

The motive behind the attack remains under investigation as of Sept. 12, according to police. As of Sept. 10, charges from the Dallas County District Attorney were pending against the suspect.

It is unclear whether Cobos-Martinez has retained legal counsel as his case did not appear in Dallas County online court filings on Sept. 12. USA TODAY also contacted the Dallas County Clerk's Office, but has not received a response.

Cobos-Martinez was 'covered in blood and armed,' affidavit says

Cobos-Martinez was "covered in blood and armed with the machete" when arrested at the motel on Sept. 10, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by local TV stations NBC Dallas and KDFW-TV.

The outlets reported that the affidavit said Cobos-Martinez and Nagamallaiah got into a disagreement over a translation issue.

Hotel manager beheaded, killed in front of family

Nagamallaiah, a manager at the motel, told Cobos-Martinez on Sept. 10 not to use a broken washing machine, according to the affidavit.

"The co-worker told police the man became upset that the victim was speaking to her to translate instead of talking directly to him," the affidavit reads, according to the TV stations. "Video shows the suspect then exited the motel room and produced a machete from his person and started cutting and stabbing the complainant multiple times."

The court document goes on to say that Nagamallaiah ran across the parking lot toward the motel's front office, "screaming as Cobos-Martinez chased him."

Near the front office, Cobos-Martinez continued to attack the man, and at one point, the affidavit continues, Nagamallaiah's wife and son walked out of the front office and tried to intervene. But police said Cobos-Martinez pushed the wife and son away and continued the attack, eventually kicking Nagamallaiah's decapitated head across the parking lot and placing it in a trash can.

Police said on Sept. 12 that Cobos-Martinez is being held in Dallas County Jail without bond.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund