KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Officials in Louisiana announced a woman was arrested and booked on 2nd-degree murder in connection to the Feb. 6 death of Kansas City sports journalist Adan Manzano.
In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Kenner, Louisiana, Police Chief Keith Conley told reporters that Danette Colbert, 48, was arrested and booked Tuesday morning on the new allegation. She was already in custody on prior charges. The case now goes to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's office for formal charges.
During the news conference, Conley said police were able to develop information that led to the identification and arrest of a second suspect, identified as Rickey White. Conley said White was taken into custody on Friday, March 14, in Hollywood, Florida. White remains in custody in Florida pending extradition back to Louisiana.
White faces the same charges originally levied against Colbert, which involved fraudulent use of Manzano's bank cards.
Also Tuesday, Jefferson Parish Coroner Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich provided an update on the autopsy of Manzano.
Cvitanovich said the cause of Manzano's death was the combination of the effects of alprazolam — commonly marketed under the brand name Xanax — and alcohol. Cvitanovich said Manzano's blood alcohol level was .232 at the time of the autopsy. While the amount of alprazolam was not insignificant, Cvitanovich said its effects were amplified by the alcohol in Manzano's system.
The manner of Manzano's death remains undetermined.
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Manzano was in New Orleans last month covering the Kansas City Chiefs playing in Super Bowl LIX. Several days before the game, Manzano was found dead in his New Orleans hotel room.
An investigation launched into Manzano’s death revealed that a woman, later identified as Colbert, 48, had stolen Manzano’s credit card and cell phone after the pair met in his hotel room early on Feb. 5.
During a media briefing announcing the original charges, police in Louisiana said Colbert had a history of drugging men. Preliminary autopsy results performed on Manzano showed he had a sedative drug in his system at the time of his death.
NBC News reported earlier this month that Colbert had been convicted in October 2024 of computer fraud, theft and illegal transmission of monetary funds. The charges were connected to a 2021 scheme.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement to KSHB 41 News that Colbert should not have been eligible for probation given her status as a “habitual offender.”
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