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The Kenner Police Department in Louisiana has released new video that shows a female suspect with sports reporter Adan Manzano in the hours before his death. The woman in the video, Danette Colbert, is seen walking with Manzano into the hotel room where he was found dead just hours later.
As Kenner Police Police Chief Keith Conley pointed out, the video also shows Colbert, 48, leaving Manzano’s room alone. “It kind of lights a fire and confirms some suspicions, but I will tell you we will see where the evidence leads us,” he said.
Fox 8 has obtained a photo of Danette Colbert and Kansas City sports reporter Adan Manzano at a hotel before he was found dead while in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl. Detectives are investigating the possibility she drugged Manzano. https://t.co/wfOpS9NFxV pic.twitter.com/Cc79EAsXz3
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) February 12, 2025
Danette Colbert has a history of being arrested and convicted on charges of targeting tourists, drugging them, then stealing their property and using their credit cards. One former victim, David Butler, blames the court system for allowing her to continue to commit crimes with little to no punishment for them.
“The minimal fines and lack of meaningful incarceration for crimes that could have led to serious injury or loss of life are, quite frankly, an insult to public safety and the justice system,” he wrote in a message to the judge in his case.
“Had the court acted decisively by incarcerating Ms. Colbert or enforcing stricter conditions for her release, it is possible Mr. Manzano would still be alive today,” Butler told NBC News this week.
Police Chief Keith Conley said three phones were recovered from Colbert during her arrest, including one belonging to KGKC Telemundo Kansas City reporter Adan Manzano. Colbert was arrested last week after allegedly using the Manzano’s credit card at several stores in the New Orleans area.
Conley said his department is working with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Louisiana State Police, the New Orleans Police Department, and Project NOLA. The latter is assisting in tracking Colbert’s movements over the past 30 days.
“We often do this using facial recognition, clothing recognition, vehicle recognition, license plate recognition,” said Bryan Legarde of Project NOLA. “We often do this to get what detectives need to close cases.”
The Kenner Police Department is currently awaiting the results of the coroner’s full autopsy on Adan Manzano as well as a toxicology test. For now, Colbert has been charged with bank fraud, computer fraud, illegal transmission of monetary funds, access device fraud and purse snatching.