The relatives of an undocumented migrant accused of decapitating his employer at a Texas motel state that the Cuban national felt exploited and was not compensated for his labor.

According to the local police, Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, aged 37, allegedly killed his supervisor Chandra Nagamallaiah, who was 50 years old, on September 10 at a Dallas motel where Cobos-Martinez both worked as a cleaner and resided.

Nagamallaiah had instructed, through a mediator, that a malfunctioning washing machine not be used, rather than speaking directly to Cobos-Martinez, as stated by Fox 4-TV.

Furious over the situation, the Cuban national retrieved a machete from his vehicle and attacked his manager, with the conflict progressing from the motel rooms to the front office as Nagamallaiah attempted to flee.

The victim’s wife and son watched in horror, pleading for help and trying to stop Cobos-Martinez.

Despite the escape attempt, Cobos-Martinez continued the brutal assault, ultimately beheading the manager and allegedly kicking the head across the parking lot before disposing of it in a dumpster, as reported by local station WFAA.

Now, Cobos-Martinez’s relatives reveal he felt exploited by his boss, often telling them he had had no money and working extremely long hours. 

“He would tell me, ‘Mom, I want to leave this place. I’m not earning any money. They aren’t paying me. I’m like a slave,'” shared the accused’s mother, Odalis Martínez Rodríguez, with the Cuban outlet Marti Noticias this week.

The woman also described her son working from 9 a.m. until midnight most days. 

‘He worked there for a while, and I told him, “Just stay there, my son, until I can send you the papers.”‘

Martinez claimed he wanted to return to his native land, however, the communist regime that runs the island would not accept him, telling him he was no longer a citizen.

They were working to get him legally reinstated in Cuba so that he could return and seek medical attention for what his mom describes as 

‘I wanted him to be deported so he could get help from doctors here,’ the mother explained. 

‘My son was not well since leaving prison in the US. He lost his mind. He ended up living in a park- homeless. 

‘When he finally found work at that hotel, I thought he was getting better, but he often argued with the manger over lack of payment.’

She added that he son did not a work permit to legally make a living in the US, and she speculated that his lack of legal status may have left him open to employers feeling that they could take advantage of him. 

However, his descent into mental illness may have started nine years ago when he first left his island nation for America.

‘When he arrived over there, he was not well,’ the mother said. 

‘He was married for a year and got divorced. He then went to California, where he was imprisoned.’

ICE confirms the government tried to deport him after he was released from jail, however, his country of origin would not accept him. 

‘The migrant had been detained on January 13 and later released, despite a removal order to kick him out of the country because there was ‘no significant likelihood for removal in the foreseeable future,’ ICE told WFAA.

‘This barbaric criminal was released because Cuba would not accept him because of his criminal history.’

However, the local outlet found found footage of deportation flights to the island nation in 2023.

Additionally, Cobos-Martinez was wanted for a probation violation in California, with an active warrant. 

It’s unclear why Trump immigration officials did not arrest him on his active warrant, despite their immigration crackdown promise to arrest the ‘worst of the worst.’ 

In another violent episode, Cobos-Martinez allegedly carjacked a woman in south Lake Tahoe, California while he was naked. 

President Donald Trump weighed in horrific crime as well, posting that Cobos-Martinez ‘should have never been in our Country.’

Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed to Daily Mail legally admitted into the country in April 2019 when former Pres. Barack Obama was in office. 

‘Cobos-Martinez was admitted into the U.S. under the Obama administration on April 2, 2016, with permission to remain in the U.S. for one year. He failed to depart and has remained in the U.S. illegally since that time,’ ICE said in a statement to Daily Mail.

When Cobos-Martinez’s permission expired, Trump was on office.  

Cobos-Martinez’s family also said they stood with the victim’s family– calling what happened to him 

‘We stand with the victim’s family. It has been a major tragedy, what happened. He should have had mercy on him,’ grandmother Mayra Rodríguez told the outlet.

‘I ask Trump to send him to Cuba. It doesn’t matter how many years he serves in prison, because he has to pay for what he did. That death was a cruelty, but he needs help.’ 

The motel manager who went by the nickname ‘Bob,’ was slashed and stabbed repeatedly.

His wife and son watched in horror as he he was decapitated despite their desperate attempts to intervene.

Surveillance footage captured the aftermath in chilling detail and saw Cobos-Martinez bending down, picking up the dripping head, and launching it across the parking lot with his foot before casually placing it in a dumpster.

One witness said Nagamallaiah’s son even tried to strike the attacker with a bat but was unable to stop the rampage.

Authorities say the murder began as a rage-filled outburst over a language barrier, when Nagamallaiah asked Cobos-Martinez through a translator not to use a broken washing machine.

Police say Cobos-Martinez stormed out of the motel room, retrieved a machete, and began hacking and stabbing Nagamallaiah as he tried to flee toward the front office.

The affidavit says the suspect shoved them away multiple times and continued the slaughter.

Minutes later, the manager was dead, and his head was rolling across the asphalt.

‘Cobos-Martinez did the unthinkable and proceeded to kick the head around like a soccer ball,’ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement.

He is now being held without bond on a capital murder charge at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center in Dallas. ICE has placed a detainer hold on him as well.

Meanwhile, the Indian community in Dallas is rallying around the victim’s wife and son.

They have raised over $151,000 for them online to pay for funeral expenses as well as well as short-term cost of living. 

‘He leaves behind his wife, Nisha, and his 18-year-old son, Gaurav, who just graduated high school and is preparing to begin college this fall,’ donations organizer Tanmay Petel wrote.

‘Gaurav dreams of studying Hospitality Management, inspired by his father’s hard work and generosity.’