Woman Convicted of Negligent Homicide in Death of Reporter Covering Super Bowl

A Louisiana jury has convicted Danette Colbert, 49, of negligent homicide in the death of Adan Manzano, a Telemundo television reporter who was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl. Colbert was also found guilty of racketeering, a charge that carries a sentence of up to 50 years in Louisiana.

Manzano, 27, a reporter and anchor for Telemundo Kansas City, was found dead in his hotel room on February 5 of last year in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans. An autopsy revealed that he died from a combination of alcohol and the depressant Xanax, after lying face down on a pillow. Colbert was the last person seen leaving Manzano's room.

Prosecutors had sought a manslaughter conviction for both Colbert and her accomplice, 35-year-old Rickey White, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years. However, White was acquitted of all charges. Colbert's negligent homicide conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

According to prosecutors, Colbert and White engaged in a criminal enterprise for years, targeting victims in the city's French Quarter by offering sex, then using drugs to incapacitate them. The pair would then drain their bank accounts using stolen cards and phones. Colbert reportedly used Manzano's credit card at a New Orleans gas station and other local businesses after his death.

Colbert's attorney and White's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office stated that the jury carefully weighed the evidence and that justice had been served. Manzano's family was unable to attend the trial.

Another individual, 35-year-old Christian Anderson, who reportedly assisted Colbert and White, testified against them in exchange for reduced charges of simple robbery and access device fraud. Anderson pleaded guilty to both charges and received a six-year prison sentence. His attorney noted that Anderson has cooperated with law enforcement since his arrest and expressed remorse.

Extensive text messages presented in court documents indicate that Colbert, White, and Anderson had discussed using drugs to incapacitate and rob victims over several years.

Colbert and White are scheduled to be sentenced in late September. Manzano's death occurred a year after his wife died in a car accident, leaving behind their young daughter.