Danette Colbert was convicted of negligent homicide for her role in the death of Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano during Super Bowl coverage in New Orleans last February. Manzano died from ingesting alcohol and Xanax, leaving behind his wife who had died the previous year. Prosecutors also charged both Colbert and Rickey White with racketeering but only convicted them on that count; White was acquitted of negligent homicide. Colbert faces up to 10 years in prison for her conviction.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Louisiana jury convicted Danette Colbert, 49, of negligent homicide in the death of Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano who was found dead on February 5 in a hotel room in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans. Manzano had been in town to cover the Super Bowl. Colbert was also convicted of racketeering alongside her accomplice, Rickey White, 35, with both facing up to 50 years for racketeering and 40 years for negligent homicide. Prosecutors alleged that the pair targeted affluent men in New Orleans’ French Quarter, drugging them before stealing their belongings. Colbert was the last person seen leaving Manzano's room; an autopsy revealed he died from ingesting alcohol and Xanax while lying face down on a pillow.
Written for “Reporter Death Trial Conviction” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
A woman was convicted of negligent homicide Thursday in the death of a Telemundo television reporter who had been visiting New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl.
asserted
who → convict → Bowl
Danette Colbert, 49, was also convicted of racketeering, as was her accomplice, 35-year-old Rickey White, according to the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office.
uncertain
accomplice → convict → office
Racketeering carries up to a 50-year sentence in Louisiana.
asserted
Racketeering → carry → Louisiana
The two had spent years carrying out a criminal enterprise that drew in victims in the city’s historic French Quarter with the promise of sex, then used drugs to knock them out and drain their bank accounts using stolen cards and phones, prosecutors said.
asserted
prosecutors → spend → cards
Colbert was the last person seen leaving the room of Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo based in Kansas City, Missouri, who was found dead in his hotel room Feb. 5 in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner days before the Super Bowl last year.
asserted
who → see → Bowl
An autopsy revealed that Manzano died lying face down on a pillow, unable to breathe after ingesting a combination of alcohol and the depressant Xanax.
asserted
Manzano → reveal → alcohol
Prosecutors had sought to convict both Colbert and White on the charge of manslaughter, which carries up to a 40-year sentence.
asserted
which → seek → sentence
White was found not guilty.
asserted
White → find → ?
Colbert's negligent homicide conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney Jenny Voss told reporters.
asserted
Voss → carry → reporters
She said the jury had carefully weighed all the evidence and she respected its decision.
asserted
she → say → decision
“We are pleased with the verdict — we knew this was a difficult case going in," she told reporters.
asserted
she → please → reporters
“Justice was served."
asserted
Justice → serve → ?
Manzano’s family was unable to attend the trial, Voss added.
asserted
Voss → attend → trial
Colbert, whose arrest record included allegations of drugging men and theft, later used Manzano's credit card at a New Orleans gas station and other stores in the area.
asserted
record → include → area
In court documents, prosecutors described Colbert as acting under the guise of a “prostitute or ‘party girl’” while White served as her “pimp,” who provided security and helped find and rob victims.
asserted
who → describe → victims
Another man who assisted Colbert and White with their criminal ring, Christian Anderson, 35, testified against them in exchange for reducing his charges to simple robbery and access device fraud, according to Purpura.
uncertain
who → assist → Purpura
Court records show he pleaded guilty to both charges and received a six-year prison sentence.
asserted
he → show → sentence
Anderson “is relieved to be able to put this behind him,” said his attorney, Bradley Phillips.
asserted
attorney → relieve → him
Anderson has been cooperating with law enforcement since his arrest and "has clearly demonstrated remorse for his past behavior."
asserted
Anderson → cooperate → behavior
In court documents, prosecutors revealed extensive text messages dating back years among Colbert, White and Anderson, discussing using drugs to incapacitate and rob victims.
asserted
prosecutors → reveal → victims
Colbert and White are scheduled to be sentenced in late September, according to the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office.
uncertain
Colbert → schedule → office
Manzano’s death came a year after his wife died in a car accident.
asserted
wife → come → accident
The couple left behind a toddler daughter.
asserted
couple → leave → daughter
The Aporia
