Woman arrested after Super Bowl reporter found dead in Louisiana hotel room

A Louisiana pistillate with a past of “drugging men” has been arrested pursuing the decease of a Kanas City Telemundo newsman who was successful municipality to screen the Super Bowl, constabulary said Friday.

According to the Kenner Police Department, Adan Manzano, 27, was recovered unresponsive wrong his edifice country astatine the Contempra Inn successful Kenner, La., connected Wednesday.

Danette Colbert was arrested 2 days aboriginal connected Fri., Feb. 7, aft an probe revealed she was reportedly utilizing Manzano’s recognition cards astatine aggregate stores successful the New Orleans area. Police said they began tracking Manzano’s recognition paper enactment aft they discovered the recognition paper helium utilized to cheque into the edifice wasn’t connected his assemblage oregon successful the edifice room.

During a press conference, constabulary Chief Keith Conley told reporters that edifice information footage showed Colbert with Manzano entering his edifice country astir 4:35 a.m. connected Wednesday. The camera allegedly captured Colbert leaving the edifice country unsocial aboriginal that day.

As of Feb. 7, Colbert has lone been “charged with spot crimes, including frauds and theft-related offences” but “this probe remains ongoing,” according to a connection from police. She is presently being held astatine the Orleans Parish Prison.

“You asked if this was a homicide, I don’t cognize wherever it’s going to extremity up. We’re going to fto the grounds pb america to the extremity effect and not speculate,” Conley said.

“As soon arsenic the coroner finishes with his findings and they volition classify it arsenic either homicide oregon immoderate decease the grounds leads him to and past these charges could beryllium upgraded,” helium added.

Police said that Colbert has an apprehension grounds “that includes allegations of drugging men, theft of currency, fraudulent usage of recognition and debit cars, and different fiscal crimes.” (As of this writing, her nonstop property is unclear.)

They besides urged anyone who recognizes Colbert and has immoderate accusation “regarding her engagement successful these crimes” to interaction the constabulary department.

Manzano was moving arsenic a sideline newsman for KGKC, Kansas City’s Telemundo affiliate, according to the station.

KGKC released a connection Thursday successful a quality merchandise astir the reporter. “We are saddened to stock that Adan Manzano passed distant yesterday successful New Orleans,” KGKC said successful a news release. “We are cooperating with instrumentality enforcement arsenic they analyse this tragic event.”

They described Manzano arsenic a “true nonrecreational and rising prima who exemplified excellence successful his work.”

“We volition profoundly miss Adan and his passionateness for sports, and the contributions helium made to the section community,” the presumption said. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences spell retired to his household and loved ones during this hard time.”

Manzano’s decease comes little than a twelvemonth aft his wife, Ashleigh LeeAnn Boyd Manzano, died successful a car clang successful Topeka, Kansas connected April 11, 2024.

According to her obituary, she and Manzano shared a daughter, Eleanor.

“Ashleigh was the astir kindest, caring, beauteous person. Her sparkling property was contagious and would airy up immoderate country she walked into,” her obituary reads. “She was a ray of sunshine and ever had a grin connected her face. Ashleigh touched truthful galore lives and had a affirmative power connected everyone she met! She was a parent to 15 period old, Eleanor, who became Ashleigh’s full world.”

The probe is ongoing.