The tragic death of Kansas City sports reporter Adan Manzano has taken a chilling turn, as a police detective testified that the journalist had Xanax in his system at the time of his death. Manzano, who was in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl for Telemundo, was found unresponsive in his hotel room on February 5—just hours after he was last seen with Danette Colbert, a woman known locally as the “Bourbon Street Hustler.”
Colbert, 48, has an extensive criminal history and is now facing multiple fraud and robbery charges in connection with Manzano’s case. During a bond hearing on Tuesday, New Orleans police detective Jeffrey Fitzmorris revealed that a preliminary toxicology report found Xanax in Manzano’s system, a drug for which he did not have a prescription.
Was Manzano Drugged?
Fitzmorris testified that Xanax is commonly used in theft-related crimes because of its amnesiac effects, raising concerns that Manzano may have been drugged before his death. Authorities had already been investigating whether Colbert had intentionally drugged him to facilitate theft, as she has a known history of similar crimes.
Surveillance footage from the hotel captured Manzano and Colbert together outside his room just before 4 a.m. on February 5. She was reportedly the last person to see him alive.
Colbert’s Criminal Past and Current Charges
Colbert was arrested two days later on February 7 after she was caught using Manzano’s stolen credit cards in various stores across New Orleans. When police searched her home, they discovered his cellphone, credit cards, and debit cards.
She has been charged with:
- Purse snatching
- Illegal transfer of monetary funds
- Computer fraud
- Bank fraud
- Simple robbery
During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge denied Colbert’s bond, citing her as a flight risk and a “danger to society” due to her long record of targeting unsuspecting victims.
Authorities believe Manzano’s case may fit a disturbing pattern of crimes linked to Colbert. The Kenner Police Department confirmed they are investigating whether she drugged Manzano before stealing his belongings.
“Colbert has an arrest history that includes similar allegations involving drugging individuals to facilitate theft,” the department stated.
A Pattern of Theft and Deception
Colbert’s criminal history dates back over a decade, with numerous incidents involving drugging and robbing men.
- 2012: Her first known conviction came from a simple robbery in New Orleans. She avoided multiple court dates before ultimately pleading guilty to possession of stolen goods and receiving two years of probation.
- 2014: She lured a 35-year-old tourist from Bourbon Street into his hotel room at 4 a.m. after convincing him to “party” with her. The man later woke up at 10 a.m. to find $100 cash, credit cards, and a $4,000 Rolex watch missing.
Her latest arrest suggests that she may have continued these tactics for years, preying on unsuspecting victims in the French Quarter.
A Heartbreaking Loss
Manzano was an experienced sports journalist and was covering his third consecutive Super Bowl, having previously reported from Arizona and Las Vegas. His death has sent shockwaves through the media community and beyond.
His tragic passing is made even more devastating by the fact that he had already endured an unthinkable personal loss—his wife, Ashleigh Boyd, was killed in a car accident last year. Now, their young daughter is left without both parents in a heartbreaking turn of events.
As authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding Manzano’s death, the case against Colbert is growing. Given her past crimes and the new toxicology report, prosecutors may push for additional charges beyond fraud and theft.
With Colbert in custody and no bond granted, the court will now determine her fate as the full details of her alleged crimes continue to emerge.
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