A Cuban national, whom U.S. authorities say entered the country illegally, has admitted to killing a man with a machete in a Dallas motel, according to a court affidavit.
The attack ended in the victim’s decapitation, police said.
Dallas police identified the suspect as Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, who is being held without bond on a charge of capital murder by terror threat. Local officials noted that formal charges are still under review.
The incident unfolded Wednesday inside a motel room where Cobos-Martinez was working alongside a witness. Investigators said the suspect became angry when the victim, Chandra Nagamallaiah, asked through the witness not to use a broken washing machine instead of addressing him directly.
Surveillance footage shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the room, pulling out a machete, and attacking Nagamallaiah. The victim tried to escape, but the assault continued outside in full view of his wife and son, who attempted to intervene, according to the affidavit. After killing Nagamallaiah, Cobos-Martinez allegedly placed the victim’s head in a dumpster, CNN reported.
In a statement issued Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced it had lodged a federal detainer against Cobos-Martinez, describing him as a “depraved criminal illegal alien from Cuba.”
The agency stressed that the killing comes at a moment when the Trump administration is highlighting crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as justification for its recent crackdown on illegal migration.
“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 remain in America indefinitely,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security.
Criminal History and Prior Custody
ICE officials confirmed Cobos-Martinez had previously been held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Dallas before being released under supervision on January 13, after Cuba refused to take him back because of his criminal record.
According to ICE, his history includes accusations of child sex abuse, grand theft auto, false imprisonment, and carjacking. However, the agency did not provide documentation showing when or where those cases occurred, nor whether they led to convictions. When asked by CNN, ICE said it had no records confirming the outcome of the charges.
CNN also reported it had reached out to the Cuban Consulate in the United States for comment but had not received an immediate reply.
The Dallas killing comes amid renewed national debate over immigration and border security. The Trump administration has repeatedly pointed to violent crimes by undocumented immigrants to bolster its case for mass removals.
The case echoes other killings that have become flashpoints in the political debate, including those of Laken Riley and Katie Abraham, both invoked by officials as evidence supporting tougher immigration enforcement. For supporters of stricter policies, the Dallas attack underscores the administration’s push to accelerate deportations and tighten federal control.
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Source: CNN
