A woman was sentenced to 25 years in an unrelated case on Thursday after facing a second-degree murder charge for the death of a Super Bowl television reporter. Danette Colbert, 48, had previously received a suspended sentence by an Orleans Parish judge last year due to theft and fraud charges. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office successfully argued in court that Colbert, who has multiple prior felony convictions involving fraud, was a habitual offender and deserved a harsher sentence.
Colbert, who was on probation at the time, was arrested for allegedly stealing the cellphone and bank cards of a reporter found dead in his hotel room on Feb. 5. Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and television anchor based in Kansas City, Missouri, suffocated while lying face down on a pillow. Alcohol and the depressant Xanax were later found in his system. Security footage captured Colbert leaving Manzano’s hotel room in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, according to police reports.
Not really sure why this matters, but Colbert and another person are still facing second-degree murder charges in Jefferson Parish, bordering New Orleans. Murrill stated, “The evidence was overwhelming that this woman was a serial fraudster and took advantage of multiple tourists and innocent people over many years in the French Quarter.” Colbert’s attorney, Jerome Matthews, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Stavros Panagoulopoulos, the lawyer representing Colbert in the second-degree murder case, declined to provide any further statements.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like Colbert has had quite a history of legal troubles. From theft and fraud charges to now second-degree murder, it’s a lot to take in. The circumstances surrounding Manzano’s death are tragic, and it’s clear that justice is being sought in this case. The sentencing of 25 years for an unrelated case adds another layer to Colbert’s legal woes. It’s a reminder of the consequences of one’s actions and the impact they can have on others.
