Houston/New York, Sep 15: US President Donald Trump has described Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, the Indian-origin motel manager brutally beheaded in Dallas, as a “well-respected person,” while vowing that the accused will be prosecuted for first-degree murder.
Nagamallaiah, 50, originally from Karnataka, was killed last week at the Downtown Suites motel by co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old undocumented Cuban immigrant with a history of violent crimes.
In his first remarks on the case, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, calling the attacker an “illegal alien” who should have been deported. “I am aware of the terrible reports regarding the murder of Chandra Nagamallaiah, a well-respected person in Dallas, Texas, who was brutally beheaded, in front of his wife and son, by an illegal alien from Cuba who should have never been in our country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added that the suspect, who is in custody, would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “He will be charged with murder in the first degree,” Trump said, noting the accused’s criminal record, which includes child sex abuse, grand theft auto, and false imprisonment.
The killing has sparked outrage and grief across the Indian-American community. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi expressed horror at the brutality, extending condolences to the victim’s family. Several organizations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, Indiaspora, and the Hindu American Foundation, condemned the crime and called for stronger action against violent offenders.
The Consulate General of India in Houston said it is in touch with the family and local authorities to provide assistance. Nagamallaiah’s funeral was held on September 13 in Flower Mound, Texas, attended by family and friends.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser launched to support the bereaved family has raised over USD 321,000. The case has reignited debate over US immigration enforcement and highlighted the challenges authorities face when countries refuse to accept deportees.