The Louisiana woman last seen going into a hotel room with Kansas City Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder in his death, along with an accomplice who police say helped the woman drug men to steal from them.
Danette Colbert, 48, of Slidell, Louisiana, was initially arrested on Feb. 6 for using Manzano’s credit card the day after he was found dead in a hotel room.
Manzano, 27, was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl for the Spanish television network. Surveillance video caught Colbert and Manzano going into his hotel room. He was found on Feb. 5.
Although the manner of Manzano’s death is still undetermined, Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson Parish coroner, said Manzano died from the combined effects of the prescription drug Xanax and alcohol, in addition to positional asphyxia.
Manzano was face down in a pillow when he was found, which affected his breathing, Cvitanovich said. Manzano’s blood alcohol level was 0.232%, which is about three times the legal driving limit, he said.
"In most cases of overdose deaths, the manner of death is accidental, and that's whether or not there's positional asphyxia," Cvitanovich said. "However, given the uncertain circumstances of this case and the additional collection of circumstances of this case, we felt that the most appropriate manner of death is undetermined."
Police in Kenner, Louisiana, also announced the arrest of Rickie White, who allegedly helped Colbert in drugging and stealing from men. He was arrested at a hotel in Hollywood, Florida, and is being charged with robbery and access device fraud, as well as bank and computer fraud. White was working “hand-in-hand in concert” with Colbert, Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said.
“Kenner Police detectives believe Colbert intentionally drugged Manzano to render him unconscious before robbing him, following a pattern seen in her prior offenses,” a news release said.
Xanax was found in Colbert’s apartment after her arrest, Conley said. She was charged with crimes in cities nearby and is considered an habitual criminal, he said.
“We don’t want Miss Colbert to see the light of day again,” Conley said.
The investigation into Manzano’s death continues.
