NOLA: Suspect In Telemundo Reporter's Death Has Court Appearance

Adan Manzano, Danette Colbert

On Thursday, Danette Colbert, the prime suspect in a widely publicized theft and potential murder case, appeared in Jefferson Parish court for the first time. She was dressed in an orange jumpsuit provided by the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center and stood before Commissioner David Wolff, according to WVUE News.

According to Kenner Police, Colbert was the last person seen with Adan Manzano, a sports reporter from Kansas City, before his untimely death. Manzano's body was discovered in his Kenner hotel room on the Wednesday prior to the Super Bowl. Security footage captured Colbert and Manzano together in the French Quarter before they returned to his hotel room. Additional video evidence allegedly shows Colbert exiting Manzano's room alone.

Colbert's public defender submitted a motion for a preliminary examination, scheduled for February 25, 2025, which would allow them to question the investigators involved in the case. Michael Morales, the Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney, requested that Colbert be held without bond until the hearing, a request that the defense agreed to, while simultaneously filing a separate motion to reduce her bond amount.

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley labeled Colbert as a "career criminal" with a pattern of drugging and robbing victims. He noted that she has faced similar charges in both Las Vegas and Jefferson Parish in the past. Court documents reveal that St. Tammany Parish, Orleans Parish, and Louisiana Probation and Parole have issued fugitive holds on Colbert.

The results of Manzano's toxicology report are still pending, and authorities have indicated that further charges against Colbert may be forthcoming, depending on the findings of that report.