Woman Convicted in Reporter’s Death, Racketeering Scheme
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Woman Convicted in Reporter's Death, Racketeering Scheme
- Danette Colbert, 49, was convicted of negligent homicide and racketeering in the death of Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano, who was found dead in his New Orleans hotel room on February 5, 2025.
- Colbert's accomplice, 35-year-old Rickey White, was also convicted of racketeering, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 50 years in Louisiana.
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A Louisiana jury has convicted Danette Colbert, 49, of negligent homicide and racketeering in connection with the death of Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old Telemundo reporter who was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl. Manzano was found dead in his hotel room in Kenner on February 5, 2025, days before the major event. An autopsy revealed that Manzano died from positional asphyxia after ingesting a combination of alcohol and Xanax.
Prosecutors stated that Colbert and her accomplice, Rickey White, 35, operated a criminal enterprise for years, targeting men in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The scheme involved luring victims with the promise of sex, then drugging them to facilitate theft of their phones, credit cards, and other valuables. Colbert was the last person seen leaving Manzano’s hotel room, and she later used his credit cards at local stores.
Both Colbert and White were charged with manslaughter and racketeering. While White was acquitted of manslaughter, both he and Colbert were found guilty of racketeering. Colbert’s negligent homicide conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, while racketeering can lead to up to 50 years in prison in Louisiana. A third individual, Christian Anderson, 35, who assisted in the criminal ring, testified against Colbert and White after pleading guilty to simple robbery and access device fraud, receiving a six-year prison sentence. Sentencing for Colbert and White is scheduled for September 28.