A Cuban immigrant with a violent past was charged with capital murder after allegedly beheading a man at a Dallas motel, shortly after being released from ICE custody. The attack was witnessed by bystanders, and officials confirmed the suspect had a long criminal history and should not have been released.

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DALLAS, TX (3-minute read) — A gruesome scene unfolded Wednesday morning at a Dallas motel when a man was brutally decapitated in broad daylight, allegedly by a Cuban immigrant with a long history of violence and a controversial release from immigration custody.

Dallas police arrested 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez shortly after they responded to a 911 call about a stabbing at a motel on Samuell Boulevard around 9:30 a.m. There, they discovered the body of 50-year-old Chandra Nagamallaiah, who had been decapitated in what authorities described as an act of shocking brutality.

Cobos-Martinez, who had been living and working at the motel, reportedly got into a heated argument with the victim before retrieving a machete and launching the fatal attack. A witness said the victim tried to escape but fell, giving the attacker the opportunity to strike. “He just started whacking at his neck,” the witness recounted. “Once he decapitated him, he kicked the head and threw it in the trash can.”

Suspect Confessed to Killing

Police arrived quickly and found Cobos-Martinez still at the scene, bloodied and holding the machete. Investigators say he later confessed during a recorded interview. ICE officials assisted during the interrogation, confirming the disturbing details, including how the suspect kicked the severed head “like a soccer ball.”

ICE documents show Cobos-Martinez had been held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center until January 13 but was released under supervision due to a supposed lack of deportation flights to Cuba. However, media sources have found multiple reports indicating those flights had resumed in 2023.

A History of Violence Ignored

This isn’t Cobos-Martinez’s first violent offense. In 2017, he was arrested in South Lake Tahoe, California, for attempting to carjack a 22-year-old woman while completely nude. He allegedly climbed into her vehicle and tried to force her out before bystanders intervened. He was charged with carjacking and false imprisonment, later released on bail.

The fact that such a violent individual was released back into the public without deportation has sparked intense criticism of ICE’s decision-making processes and supervision protocols.

This case underscores the need for tighter oversight in the immigration and criminal justice systems, especially when individuals with known histories of violence are involved.

Safety Tip: Always maintain situational awareness in public spaces, particularly in shared accommodations like motels. Trust your instincts, and if you sense danger, seek help or leave the area immediately.