NEW ORLEANS — The investigation into the death of a television reporter, who was visiting New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, has led to the arrest of a woman accused of using his credit card.
Adan Manzano, 27, worked as an anchor and reporter for Telemundo in Kansas City, Missouri. His body was discovered in his hotel room in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans, on Wednesday, according to police reports.
Danette Colbert, a 48-year-old resident of Louisiana, was arrested by police on Thursday evening. She is currently facing multiple charges, including four felonies alongside a misdemeanor charge for fraud and theft, as confirmed by Kenner Police Deputy Chief Mark McCormick. Additionally, she has been charged with possession of a stolen firearm, although police believe this charge is unrelated to Manzano’s case, as noted by Lt. Suzanne Carboni of the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office.
According to police, security footage captured Colbert arriving at the hotel room with Manzano around 5 a.m. on the day of his death, and she was seen leaving about an hour later without him. Authorities have stated that Colbert used Manzano’s credit card at several nearby stores, and both the card and his cellphone were later found at her residence in Slidell, northeast of New Orleans.
Officers also discovered narcotics during their search of Colbert’s home, which prompted comments from Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley, who indicated that investigators believe she acted independently. A phone number linked to Colbert’s home was reported as disconnected, and attempts to reach her via email have gone unanswered.
Conley characterized Colbert as a “career criminal” familiar to law enforcement for various fraud schemes. He urged the public to be vigilant about their surroundings, emphasizing that there are individuals who exploit the trust of others to victimize them.
Colbert was previously arrested twice in 2022 in Las Vegas due to felony charges of grand larceny and providing drugs to facilitate a felony. Legal documents revealed that she was accused of drugging men in hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip and stealing from them. However, these cases were dismissed when the victims opted not to testify, according to her former lawyer, Daniel Lippmann, who declined to comment on the latest accusations.
In one instance, a victim reported waking alone with a bloody nose after spending time with Colbert, missing over $50,000 in cash and valuables. Additionally, a jury in Louisiana found Colbert guilty of theft and fraud in the previous year, resulting in a $50,000 restitution order.
Steve Downing, the general manager of Telemundo Kansas City, described Manzano as a “rising star” with a passion for sports journalism. He had covered the Kansas City Chiefs during their last two Super Bowl victories and had high hopes for the team’s third consecutive win. “He always wore a smile and loved what he did,” Downing said, commending Manzano’s commitment to delivering quality sports news to the community.
As the investigation continues, Kenner police are waiting for the results of an autopsy to ascertain if Manzano’s death was a homicide. The coroner’s office is performing toxicology tests, which are expected to yield results within three to four weeks. Preliminary assessments showed no apparent physical trauma on Manzano’s body.
Originally from Mexico City, he later moved to Kansas, and his death leaves behind a two-year-old daughter, whom he had been raising alone after his wife passed away in a tragic car accident last year, as noted by Downing.
