Louisiana Jury Convicts Woman in Death of Telemundo Reporter Covering Super Bowl

A Louisiana jury on Thursday convicted a woman of negligent homicide in the death of a Telemundo television reporter who had traveled to New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office said.

Danette Colbert, 49, was also found guilty of racketeering, as was her accomplice, 35-year-old Rickey White. Racketeering carries a maximum sentence of 50 years in Louisiana.

Prosecutors had pursued manslaughter charges — punishable by up to 40 years — against both defendants. White was acquitted of manslaughter. Colbert's negligent homicide conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, according to Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney Jenny Voss.

Voss told reporters the jury had carefully weighed all the evidence and she respected its decision. "We are pleased with the verdict — we knew this was a difficult case going in," she said. "Justice was served."

Manzano's family was unable to attend the trial, Voss added. Steve Downing, general manager of Telemundo Kansas City, where Manzano worked, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Attorneys for Colbert and White also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to prosecutors, Colbert and White ran a years-long criminal operation that lured victims in the city's historic French Quarter with the promise of sex, then used drugs to incapacitate them and drained their bank accounts using stolen cards and phones.

Colbert was the last person seen leaving the room of Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor based in Kansas City, Missouri. He was found dead in his hotel room on Feb. 5 in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, days before the Super Bowl last year. An autopsy determined he died face down on a pillow, unable to breathe after ingesting a combination of alcohol and the depressant Xanax.

Colbert, whose arrest record included allegations of drugging men and theft, later used Manzano's credit card at a New Orleans gas station and other area stores.

In court documents, prosecutors described Colbert as acting under the guise of a "prostitute or 'party girl'" while White served as her "pimp," providing security and helping to find and rob victims.

Another man who assisted the pair, Christian Anderson, 35, testified against them in exchange for reduced charges of simple robbery and access device fraud, according to Paul Purpura, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office. Court records show Anderson pleaded guilty to both charges and received a six-year prison sentence.

Anderson "is relieved to be able to put this behind him," said his attorney, Bradley Phillips, adding that Anderson had cooperated with law enforcement since his arrest and "has clearly demonstrated remorse for his past behavior."

Prosecutors also revealed extensive text messages dating back years among Colbert, White and Anderson discussing the use of drugs to incapacitate and rob victims.

Colbert and White are scheduled to be sentenced in late September, the district attorney's office said.

Manzano's death came a year after his wife died in a car accident. The couple left behind a toddler daughter.