Representative image.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
The family of Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, the Indian-origin motel manager brutally beheaded in Dallas earlier this week, will hold his funeral on Saturday (September 13, 2025) at 2 p.m. at Flower Mound Family Funeral Home in Flower Mound, Texas.
A fundraiser launched to support Nagamallaiah’s wife, Nisha, and 18-year-old son, Gaurav — who witnessed the attack — has raised nearly $200,000, at last reckoning, to help cover funeral expenses and Gaurav’s college education.
Nagamallaiah, 50, was killed at the Downtown Suites motel by co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old Cuban national with a violent criminal history.
Cobos-Martinez was released from ICE custody earlier this year after Cuba refused to accept his deportation due to his criminal record.
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said the case underscores broader immigration challenges.
“This is exactly why the Trump Administration was removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries such as Uganda and South Sudan,” she said, pointing out policy gaps that allowed the suspect to remain in the country despite a deportation order.
The Consulate General of India in Houston is closely monitoring the case and providing consular support.
Support for the victim’s family
Consul General DC Manjunath said the consulate “is in contact with the family and local authorities, offering all necessary assistance.” The Indian-American community expressed shock and grief.
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.” The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America condemned the killing, calling it part of a disturbing national trend.
“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,” it said.
Indiaspora, a global network of Indian-origin leaders, said it was “deeply saddened and horrified by the brutality of this crime” and condemned the violent act “in the strongest possible terms.” “Every person deserves safety and dignity regardless of identity,” it said.
Dallas Police have confirmed the killing was recorded on motel CCTV cameras.
Cobos-Martinez remains jailed without bond pending trial.
Published – September 13, 2025 01:07 pm IST
