Dallas, TX – A Cuban national with a criminal history spanning Florida, California, and Texas has been charged with capital murder following the beheading of a Dallas motel manager last week. Authorities say 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez attacked Chandra Nagamallaiah with a machete in front of the victim’s wife and child on September 10. Cobos-Martinez is currently held at the Dallas County Ja
Multi-State Criminal History
Court records Texas I-Team reveal that Cobos-Martinez has faced multiple arrests over the past eight years.
- Florida, 2017: Arrested by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office for felony grand theft auto after allegedly stealing a Mercedes-Benz. Charges were later dropped.
- California, 2017: Arrested in South Lake Tahoe for attempted carjacking. Police reported he tried to drag a woman from her vehicle and assaulted her. He was released on bail but fled the state.
- Texas, 2018: Arrested in Harris County for indecency with a child, which was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. While jailed, he allegedly punched a jailer, pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault and serving a year.
Probation, ICE Custody, and Release
After being extradited to California to face the 2017 carjacking charges, a jury acquitted Cobos-Martinez of carjacking but convicted him of false imprisonment, placing him on probation in August 2023. Prosecutors reported he fled again.
He was later arrested on a fugitive charge in Texas and placed in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas. Although he had a final removal order to Cuba, authorities released him on January 13, 2025, under supervision when Cuban officials refused to accept him due to his criminal history.
The Dallas Motel Attack
Nearly nine months after his release, Cobos-Martinez allegedly attacked and beheaded Chandra Nagamallaiah at a Dallas motel, in front of the victim’s family. Authorities called the incident “completely preventable” and criticized the release.
In a September 12 statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said:
“This is exactly why we are removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries. President Trump and Secretary Noem are no longer allowing barbaric criminals to indefinitely remain in America. If you come to our country illegally, you could end up in Eswatini, Uganda, South Sudan, or CECOT.”
CECOT refers to a high-security prison in El Salvador.
Law Enforcement Response
Local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances leading to the attack, while Homeland Security officials review policies regarding the release of foreign nationals with criminal histories. Cobos-Martinez remains in custody pending trial for capital murder.
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