Man who beheaded Indian motel owner Chandra Mouli in US won’t get death penalty, here’s why

Nagamallaiah was 50 years old when he was killed.

Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, accused of brutally beheading his Indian employer at a motel in the US state of Texas, will not face the death penalty, according to prosecutors with the Dallas County District Attorney’s (DA) Office. Prosecutor John Creuzot’s office decided against imposing the death penalty on Cobos-Martinez, limiting the possible sentence to life in prison without parole, the Dallas Express reported. However, prosecutors reserved the right to reconsider their stance until January 8 due to the ongoing investigation into the case. The move faced criticism from some quarters due to the brutality of the crime and the immigration status of the defendant.

What happened at the Dallas motel?

The attack took place on September 10 this year at the Downtown Suites Dallas, after an argument between 37-year-old Cuban citizen Cobos-Martinez and 50-year-old Nagamallaiah over a broken washing machine. Surveillance footage showed Cobos-Martinez chasing Nagamallaiah and beheading him with a machete in front of Nagamallaiah’s wife and son, who tried to intervene. Cobos-Martinez then fled the scene.

Trump promises strong action

Cobos-Martinez, who has been implicated in several other criminal cases, had entered the United States illegally and also faced a deportation order to Cuba, according to reports. Following the attack on Nagamallaiah, US President Donald Trump had promised strong action against the killer. In his post on social media, he said, “Under my watch, the time for being soft on these Illegal Immigrant Criminals is over,” and added: “This criminal we have in custody will be tried to the fullest extent required by law. He will be charged with first-degree murder!”