Danette Colbert, a 48-year-old woman, has appeared before the Jefferson Parish court in New Orleans in relation to the tragic death of Mexican journalist Adán Manzano. She is accused of fraud and theft after it was discovered that she was in Manzano's hotel room, stole his cellphone, and used his credit card.
The investigations are still ongoing, and the results of the toxicology tests performed on Manzano's body are awaited to determine if he was drugged before his death. The Kenner, Louisiana police have revealed that the indications point to intoxication, but the exact details are still being investigated.
Danette Colbert has a criminal history that has drawn the attention of authorities, having previously been convicted of credit card fraud, theft, use of controlled substances to drug men, and assaults on tourists on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. She is described by the police as a 'career criminal.'
At her appearance, Colbert wore an orange uniform from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center, and her defense requested to interrogate the investigators of the case. The prosecutor requested that she remain detained without bail until the next hearing.
Adán Manzano, 27 years old, a reporter for the KBKC network, was found dead in his hotel room on February 5, causing shock in the journalism community and Mexican society. One day later, Colbert was arrested, and Manzano's credit card, drugs, and a gun reported as stolen were found among her belongings.
The case is still developing, but the evidence against her seems solid. Colbert's relationship to the crimes committed, as well as her involvement in Manzano's death, suggest that her actions are not isolated but part of a troubling pattern of behavior.
