Danette Colbert, the woman last seen with a Super Bowl reporter who was later found dead in his Kenner hotel room, has been booked with second-degree murder in his death, Kenner police confirmed Tuesday.
Colbert, 48, of Slidell is accused of killing 27-year-old Adan Manzano, a Telemundo reporter who had traveled to the New Orleans area to from Kansas City.
Kenner police investigators are expected to release more information about the new charges against Colbert at a news conference at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Colbert
Danette Colbert, of Slidell, is accused of using credit cards belonging to Adan Manzano, a Kansas City Telemundo reporter who died Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, while in the New Orleans area to cover the Super Bowl. Photo from Kenner Police
Colbert was first arrested Feb. 7 on robbery and fraud charges after authorities said she was found with Manzano's cellphone and illegally used his debit card.
Manzano was discovered dead in his room at the Comfort Suites in Kenner on the afternoon of Feb. 5 after co-workers reported that he'd missed a meeting, authorities said.
As of Tuesday, the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office had not yet received the results of in-depth toxicology testing to determine Manzano's cause of death.
But a Kenner police detective testified during a bond hearing last month that the depressant benzodiazepine had been found in his system during the preliminary toxicology screening.
A similar drug was found at Colbert's apartment during a search of her residence, authorities said.
Colbert has previously been accused of targeting men and drugging them to steal money, credit cards and other property, police have said.
This is a developing news story. Stay with The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com for more information as it becomes available.