Woman convicted of negligent homicide in death of Telemundo reporter in New Orleans
A Louisiana jury found Danette Colbert guilty of negligent homicide for the death of Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano, and also convicted her of racketeering.
In a trial overseen by the Jefferson Parish district attorney, Danette Colbert, 49, was convicted of negligent homicide for the death of Telemundo anchor Adan Manzano, who was discovered dead in a Kenner hotel room before the Super Bowl. The jury also found her guilty of racketeering, a felony that can result in a sentence of up to 50 years, though sentencing has not yet occurred. Prosecutors said Colbert and her associate Rickey White ran a criminal operation that targeted people in the French Quarter, using drugs to incapacitate them and then draining their bank accounts with stolen cards and phones.
White was acquitted of the homicide charge but faced the same racketeering indictment. Evidence included text messages detailing the scheme and testimony from a former accomplice who received a reduced robbery sentence for cooperating. Sentencing for Colbert and White is slated for late September.
Why it matters
The conviction highlights a violent criminal network that exploited victims and resulted in a journalist's death.
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