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No death penalty for Dallas beheading suspect
The decision comes less than three months after the Sept. 10 killing that stunned the Indian American community.
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Malvika Choudhary - Mon, 01, Dec 2025
- 14:12 EST
- 23
Yordanis Cobos-Martinez and Chandra Mouli Nagamallaiah / Lalit K Jha
Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, the 37-year-old Cuban national accused of beheading his boss and Indian American motel owner Chandra “Bob” Nagamallaiah, will likely not face the death penalty.
According to FOX4 News, Dallas County prosecutors informed a court that they do not intend to pursue capital punishment during Cobos-Martinez’s first appearance at the Frank Crowley Courts Building. However, prosecutor Julie Johnson said the state “reserves the right to change its position” if new information emerges.
Also Read: Dallas murder triggers outrage over US immigration policy
The decision comes less than three months after the Sept.10 killing that stunned the Indian American community and also drew a reaction from President Donald Trump, who had vowed strong action against the accused after the beheading.
Defense attorney Lalon “Clipper” Peale asked the judge for a definitive ruling, arguing that without clarity on whether the death penalty is being sought, he cannot properly prepare the case.
The judge has reportedly directed prosecutors to provide a final answer by Jan. 8, with a status hearing scheduled for December. No trial date has been set.
Cobos-Martinez remains in the Dallas County jail on a capital murder charge and is being held on an immigration detainer. Federal officials previously confirmed he had been released from ICE custody earlier this year because the agency said there was “no significant likelihood of removal to Cuba in the foreseeable future.”
His criminal history includes a conviction in California and arrests in Florida and Houston.
With prosecutors now declining to seek the death penalty, Cobos-Martinez faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if convicted.
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