A woman faces a second-degree murder charge over the death of a TV reporter in New Orleans during his Super Bowl assignment last month, officials revealed on Tuesday.
Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo in Kansas City, Missouri, was discovered lifeless on February 5 in his Kenner hotel room, a suburb of New Orleans. The following day, Danette Colbert, aged 48, was taken into custody, initially for allegedly stealing Manzano’s phone and bank cards.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley, speaking at a news conference streamed online, announced that Colbert is now also charged with second-degree murder. She has been in jail since her initial arrest. Additionally, a supposed accomplice was apprehended in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on charges related to theft and fraud.
Despite the preliminary autopsy’s inconclusive findings on whether Manzano’s death was due to foul play or an accident, authorities decided to press murder charges against Colbert.
Colbert’s attorney, Stavros Panagoulopoulos, didn’t return calls for comment at the time of this news. Last month, he criticized the police for what he termed speculative linking of Colbert to Manzano’s death.
Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson Parish coroner, informed reporters that Manzano died from “positional asphyxia.” He was found face down on a pillow, unable to breathe after consuming a mix of alcohol and Xanax, both of which significantly depress the central nervous system. Dr. Cvitanovich warned that such combinations could result in a position that obstructs breathing.
Conley expressed strong confidence in the evidence at hand to pursue the murder charge against Colbert, though he refrained from delving into details.
Earlier, police reports revealed that hotel security footage captured Manzano and Colbert entering his room together on the day he died, with Colbert leaving alone about an hour later. Subsequently, Colbert allegedly used Manzano’s credit card at a local gas station and various other stores.
Medical records showed Manzano didn’t have a prescription for Xanax or similar depressants. The police reportedly recovered Xanax from Colbert’s residence.
“There are many pieces to this puzzle,” Conley explained. “We know the case is circumstantial, but we believe the evidence is compelling.”
Regarding Colbert’s co-accused, Conley indicated that communications and information linked the two, suggesting a coordinated effort in the alleged crimes.
Just last year, a jury in Louisiana found Colbert guilty of theft and fraud-related charges in an unrelated case.
Back in 2022, Colbert faced felony charges in Las Vegas on two occasions for grand larceny and administering drugs to commit a crime, according to court records. She was accused of drugging and robbing men in their hotel rooms. Those charges were eventually dismissed as the victims chose not to testify, her then-attorney, Daniel Lippmann, confirmed to The Associated Press.
