Telemundo Reporter Found Dead Had Xanax In His System

A detective investigating the death of Telemundo journalist Adan Manzano testified Tuesday that the reporter had an unprescribed anti-anxiety drug in his system, according to a Jefferson Parish official who spoke to NBC News.

The official, referencing the detective, said Manzano’s body contained Alprazolam—commonly known as Xanax—when he died earlier this month. The testimony came during a bond hearing in a Jefferson Parish court.

According to the official, the detective cited a preliminary toxicology report and noted that the same drug turned up at the residence of Danette Colbert, the suspect arrested in connection with Manzano’s death.

Danette Colbert

Colbert, 48, has a rap sheet featuring accusations of drugging men and siphoning off tens of thousands of dollars through cryptocurrency and phone-linked accounts. Her attorneys haven’t commented publicly. At the hearing, one of her lawyers argued her past shouldn’t define her, per NBC affiliate WDSU in New Orleans.

The presiding Jefferson Parish judge wasn’t swayed, labeling Colbert “a danger to society” and rejecting her bond request, WDSU reported.

The detective didn’t specify the drug’s concentration in Manzano’s system or suggest a cause or manner of death, the official said. How or when the drug entered Manzano’s body remains unclear.

Alprazolam, used for anxiety and panic disorders, can also act as a sedative or muscle relaxant—and it’s risky when mixed with alcohol, potentially leading to overdose.

The Kenner Police Department, handling the investigation, didn’t respond to inquiries Tuesday. The Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office also stayed silent.

Colbert faces theft and other charges tied to Manzano’s death. The Kansas City-based reporter was in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl when his body was discovered Feb. 5 at a hotel in Kenner, just west of the city.