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Police are investigating a brutal killing in East Dallas that some reports are describing as a “Dallas Beheading.” On the morning of September 10, officers responded to a stabbing call at the Downtown Suites motel in the 3400 block of Samuell Boulevard, near Interstate 30 and the Tenison golf course where a body was found on the sidewalk.

Authorities confirmed that 50-year-old Chandra Nagamallaiah was fatally attacked with a machete. While some witnesses have suggested that the victim was beheaded, police have not officially confirmed those reports.

Victim and Suspect Identified in Dallas Beheading

Dallas police identified the suspect as 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, who, like the victim, worked at the Downtown Suites. According to WFAA, dozens of police vehicles responded to the scene, and crime scene tape surrounded the motel entrance.

Cobos-Martinez has been charged with capital murder and remains in custody. Jail records list him as an immigrant.

Witness Accounts and Arrest Affidavit

The arrest affidavit paints a disturbing picture of what happened before the attack. A witness told police she and Cobos-Martinez were cleaning a motel room when Nagamallaiah entered and asked him not to use a broken washing machine.

The suspect allegedly became upset that Nagamallaiah spoke through the witness to translate rather than addressing him directly. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, retrieving a machete, and attacking the victim.

“He just snapped—grabbed a weapon and started swinging,” a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told Fox 4 KDFW.

During the assault, Cobos-Martinez is accused of pausing to search the victim’s pockets and taking items. The affidavit also states that the victim’s wife and son attempted to intervene but were forced back multiple times.

Police arrested Cobos-Martinez shortly after the incident in front of the Beer Mart Express, located just a few blocks from where the body was discovered.

Gruesome Attack and Ongoing Investigation

The shocking nature of the crime has left the East Dallas community shaken. “This is one of the most gruesome attacks we’ve seen in recent memory,” one resident said while watching the scene unfold behind crime scene tape.

Dallas police have documented the case under number 130413-2025. The lead investigator, Detective Cody Clark, is urging anyone with additional information to come forward.

Tips can be shared by contacting Detective Clark at 214-671-3584 or by emailing [email protected].