Dallas Police Identify Victim and Suspect in Brutal East Dallas Motel Attack

DALLAS — Authorities have released the identities of both the victim and suspect involved in a gruesome attack that occurred Wednesday morning at a motel in East Dallas, an incident that has shaken the surrounding community.

The victim has been identified as 50-year-old Chandra Nagamallaiah, while the suspect has been named as 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, who now faces charges of capital murder.

According to the Dallas Police Department, officers were dispatched around 9:30 a.m. to the Downtown Suites motel, located in the 3400 block of Samuell Boulevard near Interstate 30 and the Tenison golf course. Reports indicated a violent assault was underway.

When officers and Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel arrived, they found Nagamallaiah had been fatally attacked with an edged weapon. Despite emergency response efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witness Accounts Describe Horrific Scene

Several witnesses recounted the harrowing moments of the assault. Police sources said the suspect used a machete during the attack, following an argument that broke out on the motel property.

Eyewitness Stephanie Elliott told WFAA that the victim attempted to escape but stumbled. At that point, the suspect continued striking him repeatedly with the weapon. “He just kept hitting him and hitting until he decapitated him,” Elliott said, describing the brutality of the encounter.

Broadcastify audio and police reports also confirmed that calls described the victim as having been decapitated, underscoring the extreme violence of the attack.

Swift Arrest After Massive Police Response

The attack prompted a large police presence, with dozens of marked units rushing to the scene and surrounding the motel. Officers quickly secured the property with crime scene tape, blocking the entrance as investigators began their work.

Thanks to patrol units already in the area, officers located Cobos-Martinez about a block from the crime scene and arrested him without incident. He was reportedly still armed at the time of his arrest.

Executive Assistant Chief Terrence Rhodes commended the responding officers for their professionalism and restraint in the face of such a dangerous situation.

“Even though [the suspect] was armed with a bladed weapon, the officers showed tremendous restraint and used minimal force to apprehend him,” Rhodes said. “This violent crime will not go unpunished and our department will thoroughly investigate and bring charges against the suspect.”

Investigation Ongoing

The Dallas Police Department confirmed that the case remains an active investigation, with detectives working to establish the full circumstances leading up to the deadly confrontation. Officials have not yet disclosed whether the victim and suspect knew each other or what specifically sparked the argument that preceded the attack.

As of now, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez is charged with capital murder and remains in custody. Additional details, including potential court proceedings, are expected to emerge in the coming days.

The shocking incident has drawn widespread attention, leaving many in the East Dallas community shaken by the nature of the violence and the loss of Chandra Nagamallaiah.