Adan Manzano was in New Orleans to cowl Tremendous Bowl LIX, however the sports activities reporter was discovered lifeless in his lodge room earlier than kickoff. Police are attempting to determine what occurred and what, if something, “a profession felony” police say is thought to run fraud schemes within the metropolis’s French Quarter needed to do together with his dying.
The 27-year-old sports activities reporter had been working for the native Telemundo station in Kansas Metropolis for practically 4 years and got here to New Orleans to report on the massive recreation.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs would find yourself failing to attain their dream of a historic three straight Tremendous Bowl championships Sunday, dropping to the Philadelphia Eagles, however Marzano by no means acquired to report on the sport’s final result. Wednesday afternoon, days earlier than kickoff, he was discovered lifeless in his lodge room within the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, Louisiana, in line with police.
Investigators are wanting into the likelihood that Manzano was drugged earlier than his dying, police stated Monday.
Manzano was seen coming into his room at a Consolation Suites lodge with a girl who police later decided to be Danette Colbert at about 4:35 a.m. Wednesday, safety cameras within the lodge confirmed. In accordance with Kenner Police, Colbert left a short while later, then returned. At 6 a.m., police stated, she left once more and didn’t come again. Manzano was by no means seen leaving the room.
Colbert and Manzano had met earlier Wednesday in New Orleans and have been seen collectively in a number of locations across the metropolis, in line with police.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley informed reporters Monday that investigators “do have two or three items of data, video footage popping out of New Orleans that she was with him within the French Quarter.”
Police arrived on the lodge Wednesday after Manzano’s physique was present in his room. Investigators reviewed safety digital camera footage and found the bank card Manzano used to test into the lodge was lacking, together with a mobile phone, police stated.
Colbert, 48, was arrested in New Orleans on Thursday night time and charged with “property crimes, together with fraud and theft-related offenses” police stated, and a search of her dwelling in close by Slidell, Louisiana, uncovered the lacking telephone together with the bank card, which she had utilized in New Orleans. Investigators additionally discovered narcotics and a stolen firearm, although they stated they don’t imagine the firearm is expounded to Manzano’s dying.
In a press release, Telemundo known as Manzano “a real skilled and a rising star, who exemplified excellence in his work.”
“Sports activities journalism has misplaced an important man. … Greater than an unmatched journalist, he was a loving father, a pal, a brother and an important human being,” Telemundo stated.
Manzano’s spouse died in a automotive accident final 12 months, and he had a 2-year-old daughter who lives together with his in-laws in Topeka, Kansas, in line with Steve Downing, the final supervisor of Telemundo Kansas Metropolis.
Colbert has what Conley known as “fairly a document and rap sheet,” together with “allegations of drugging males, theft of forex, fraudulent use of credit score and debit playing cards, and different monetary crimes,” in line with police.
Colbert will not be at present dealing with prices for Manzano’s dying. She is being held on the Jefferson Parish Correctional Heart awaiting felony proceedings for prices associated to theft and fraud, police stated. It’s not clear whether or not Colbert has authorized illustration; CNN has contacted the Jefferson Parish District Lawyer’s Workplace for added particulars.
“Whereas Colbert was initially charged with property crimes, together with fraud and theft-related offenses, investigators at the moment are working intently with forensic consultants and the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Workplace to find out whether or not extra prices could also be warranted,” police stated in a information launch Monday.
Police are nonetheless awaiting post-mortem outcomes on Manzano, and CNN has reached out to the coroner’s workplace for info.
“Toxicology reviews stay pending; we count on it would take a number of weeks to turn into accessible. Nevertheless, investigators are exploring all accessible proof on this case, together with the likelihood that Manzano could have been drugged earlier than his dying. Colbert has an arrest historical past that features related allegations involving drugging people to facilitate theft,” police stated within the launch.
No medication have been present in Manzano’s lodge room, in line with police.
Colbert was described by Conley as a “profession felony” who was beforehand charged with not less than two different related incidents – as soon as in 2022 in Nevada and a second incident in Jefferson Parish in Louisiana. It’s unclear how and whether or not these circumstances have been resolved.
Police stated that since Colbert’s arrest, they’ve been contacted by a number of individuals claiming to be victims of comparable crimes or to report deaths below related suspicious circumstances, although it’s unknown whether or not these are linked to Colbert.
“I don’t know the place it’s going to finish up,” Conley stated. “We’re going to let the proof lead us to the tip end result and never speculate, however you realize these are the form of issues that may occur when you’re out in any metropolis by your self.”
CNN’s Shawn Nottingham contributed to this report.
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