A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of Kansas City sports reporter Adan Manzano, who passed away in his hotel room while covering Super Bowl LIX festivities in New Orleans this week.
Police in Kenner, Louisiana arrested 48-year-old Danette Colbert on Thursday evening after she was found using the deceased reporter’s credit card at several stores in the New Orleans area, according to a police report provided to DailyMail.com.
Security footage shows Colbert with Manzano on Wednesday morning before she was seen leaving his hotel hours later, according to investigators. Manzano was ultimately found unresponsive in his hotel on Wednesday afternoon and a cause of death has not been determined. Authorities say there were no signs of obvious trauma to Manzano’s body, adding that it remains unclear if he was drugged as they await the results of a toxicology report.
As of Friday morning, Colbert is only being charged for property crimes, such as bank fraud, computer fraud, illegal transmission of monetary funds, access device fraud and purse snatching, said Kenner deputy police chief Mark McCormick. However, as the department noted in its release, the investigation is ongoing.
A resident of Slidell, Louisiana, Colbert was arrested in January of 2022 for allegedly drugging a man and stealing $50,000 from him on the Las Vegas Strip. Colbert would deny drugging the man, but was charged in Nevada again in May and July on similar allegations. The victims in these cases did not die as a result of their reported drugging.
Furthermore, she was also booked for allegedly driving 100mph near a school in the Las Vegas area in August of 2022 and a 2014 report by NoLa.com claims Colbert was arrested for second-degree battery and witness intimidation. Authorities say Colbert has convictions in Jefferson and Orleans Parish for targeting tourists, using their credit cards and possessing stolen goods.
‘Obviously, there are allegations in [Colbert’s] past criminal history that make us consider that,’ McCormick said of the possibility of foul play, as quoted by NoLa.com. ‘But we don’t have anything at this point.’
Kenner police are asking anyone with information on the case to call the Criminal Investigations Division at (504) 712-2222 or Crime Stoppers at (504) 822-1111.
A 27-year-old Mexico native who lived in Topeka, Kansas, Manzano was on the ground in New Orleans working as a sports anchor and sideline reporter.
A statement from KGKC Telemundo Kansas City read: [Adan] was a true professional and a rising star, who exemplified excellence in his work.
‘We will deeply miss Adan and his passion for sports, and the contributions he made to the local community. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.’
WIBW reported the news that Manzano’s wife Ashleigh died last April at the age of 24 in a car crash that also seriously injured their infant daughter.
The crash occurred in Topeka, where Manzano and his young family was based.
In Manzano’s Instagram bio, he pays tribute to his late wife with the message: ‘Always in my heart Ashleigh Boyd’.
Manzano is said to have graduated from Kansas State University and joined the Chiefs’ beat at the beginning of the 2024 season as a sideline reporter.
He was covering his third straight Super Bowl, having also been in Arizona and Las Vegas before this month’s visit to New Orleans, with the Chiefs this year going for the three-peat.
On Monday night, Manzano posted photos from the Super Bowl’s opening night at the Superdome, where he was on duty interviewing the players.
He was also a regular soccer reporter, covering Sporting Kansas City, and of Big 12 basketball and the Kansas Jayhawks.
In New Orleans this week, he had already interviewed Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and other Chiefs players.
Kenner police are asking anyone with information on the case to call the Criminal Investigations Division at (504) 712-2222 or Crime Stoppers at (504) 822-1111
