Louisiana authorities have charged a second suspect with murder in connection with the death of television reporter Adan Manzano, who was found dead on February 5 in a New Orleans hotel while covering the Super Bowl. Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter for Telemundo in Kansas City, died from a combination of alcohol and the depressant Xanax. The investigation led to the arrest of Danette Colbert, who was seen on security footage leaving Manzano’s hotel room shortly after he died. She was charged with second-degree murder, credit card theft, and cellphone theft.
On March 18, Kenner police announced that a second accomplice, 34-year-old Rickey White, had also been charged with second-degree murder after being extradited from Florida, where he faced robbery and fraud charges related to the case. Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley indicated that continued investigative efforts linked White to Colbert, implying they had collaborated in Manzano’s death.
White’s attorney, Kevin Boshea, claimed he was unaware of the murder charge before being contacted by the press and argued that there was no evidence connecting White to the crime. Similarly, Colbert’s attorney criticized police for making assumptions without substantial evidence linking her to Manzano’s death.
Louisiana law allows for second-degree murder charges under circumstances where drugs result in death or where a fatality occurs during certain crimes, like robbery. An autopsy revealed that Manzano died face down and unable to breathe, and security footage confirmed Colbert’s presence with him prior to his death. Authorities also found Xanax at Colbert’s residence, while Manzano had no prescriptions for it.
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