The funeral for Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, the Indian-origin motel manager who was brutally beheaded in Dallas earlier this week, is scheduled for 2 pm at Flower Mound Family Funeral Home in Texas today.
Nagamallaiah, 50, was killed at the Downtown Suites motel by his co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old Cuban national with a history of violent crime. Dallas Police confirmed the attack was captured on the motel’s CCTV cameras. Cobos-Martinez remains jailed without bond pending trial.
advertisement
Earlier this year, Cobos-Martinez had been released from ICE custody after Cuba refused to accept his deportation due to his criminal record. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said the case highlights broader challenges in the US immigration system.
“This is exactly why the Trump Administration was removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries such as Uganda and South Sudan,” she said, pointing to policy gaps that allowed the suspect to remain in the country despite a deportation order, according to news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser launched to support Nagamallaiah’s wife, Nisha, and 18-year-old son, Gaurav — who witnessed the attack — has raised nearly USD 2,00,000 to cover funeral costs and Gaurav’s college education.
The Consulate General of India in Houston is closely monitoring the situation and providing consular support. Consul General DC Manjunath said the consulate “is in contact with the family and local authorities, offering all necessary assistance”.
The Indian-American community has expressed shock and grief over the killing. Gitesh Desai, president of SEWA International’s Houston chapter, said, “This crime has devastated our community. We are offering every form of support possible to the grieving family.”
National organisations also condemned the killing. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America described it as part of a troubling national trend, stating, “These tragedies highlight an alarming societal breakdown, where political discord erodes cohesion, violence spreads unchecked, and government responses are mere lip service. We demand full investigations and a national inquiry into America’s collapsing civil dialogue”.
Cobos-Martinez is currently in police custody without the option of bail as he awaits trial.
– Ends