Woman Charged with Murder in Death of Kansas City Chiefs Reporter Adan Manzano

A woman has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Telemundo sports reporter Adan Manzano, officials in Louisiana announced on Tuesday, March 18.

Danette Colbert, 48, is accused in the 27-year-old reporter’s death, Chief Keith Conley of the Kenner Police Department said on Tuesday, March 18.

Manzano was in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl when he died on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Soon after his death, Colbert was previously charged with fraud and theft after she was allegedly caught using Manzano’s credit card.

Colbert was also seen on surveillance footage leaving Manzano’s Kenner, La., hotel alone about one hour after arriving there with him on the night of his death.

Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerry Satanovich said Tuesday that Manzano’s cause of death was the combined toxic effects of Xanax and alcohol; his body was discovered face-down on a pillow.

Despite the murder charge, Manzano’s “manner” of death remains undetermined, Satanovich said, noting that an indeterminate conclusion doesn’t preclude prosecutors from charging Colbert with murder.

It’s unclear where or with whom he ingested the drug, as Manzano had not been prescribed Xanax prior to his death, Kenner, La., police Det. Jeffrey Fitzmorris said last month.

While Colbert was not previously known to Kenner police, Conley previously said New Orleans investigators were aware of her. “She was found quite frequently in the French Quarter,” Conley said in February. “She’s known for these fraud schemes.”

Colbert’s alleged past infractions include previous accusations of drugging and stealing from men in various jurisdictions.

“We don’t want Ms Colbert to see the light of day again,” Conley said at a press conference on Tuesday, March 18.

Kenner police also noted the arrest of an alleged accomplice to Colbert. Ricky White, who police described as a “transient” whose last known address was in Gretna, was arrested in Hollywood, Fla., and is charged with robbery and fraud.

White is in custody in Fort Lauderdale, and authorities in Louisiana are expected to seek his extradition. Conley noted that correspondence between Colbert and White suggested the two had been working “hand in hand in concert.”

Manzano was in his third year of covering the Kansas City Chiefs for Telemundo KC and Tico Sports at the Super Bowl, his employer said.

“Adan was an exceptional professional and a rising star whose dedication and talent reflected excellence in his work,” the news station said. “We will deeply miss Adan, his passion for sports and the contributions he made to the local community.”

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The station added that they were “cooperating with authorities as they investigate this tragic event.”

A native of Mexico City, Manzano moved to Topeka, Kan., in 2018 and was a graduate of Kansas State University.

He joined the Chiefs Television Crew as a sideline reporter at the beginning of the last NFL season, according to Fox affiliate KCTV. He also worked as a play-by-play announcer for KC Current soccer games.

Manzano’s wife, Ashleigh LeeAnn Boyd, was killed last year, on April 11, 2024, in a car accident, CBS affiliate WIBW reported.

The elementary school teacher was driving with the couple’s daughter Eleanor when she was killed in the head-on crash. The toddler survived the accident, NBC affiliate KSNT-TV reported.