He said she drugged him and could kill somebody. Now she’s accused of murdering a Super Bowl reporter

Sports newsman Adan Manzano was recovered dormant successful his New Orleans country edifice country portion covering Super Bowl LIX. A erstwhile unfortunate of the pistillate charged successful his execution warned a justice specified a transgression could happen.

Danette Colbert, whom Kenner Police antecedently described arsenic a “career criminal” known for fraud schemes successful New Orleans, has been charged with second-degree execution successful Manzano’s death, constabulary announced Tuesday.

One lawyer who has represented Colbert declined to comment. CNN has not been capable to find if the lawyer is representing Colbert successful the lawsuit of Manzano, 27, who worked for the section Telemundo presumption successful Kansas City and had traveled to New Orleans to study connected the Super Bowl erstwhile helium was recovered dormant past month.

Colbert has “quite a grounds and rap sheet,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley antecedently said, including “allegations of drugging men, theft of currency, fraudulent usage of recognition and debit cards, and different fiscal crimes.”

Some of those allegations stem from 52-year-old David Butler, who accused Colbert of drugging and robbing him successful New Orleans much than 3 years ago.

In a Kenner Police Department quality merchandise Tuesday, constabulary wrote that grounds suggested Colbert and an subordinate commonly usage substances, including Xanax, to cause their victims.

Manzano died successful portion owed to the “combined toxic effects” of Xanax and alcohol, according to Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerald Cvitanovich. Manzano’s mode of decease remains undetermined, Cvitanovich said.

Detectives judge Colbert drugged Manzano truthful she could rob him portion helium was unconscious, according to police.

In Butler’s case, a assemblage recovered Colbert blameworthy of theft, machine fraud, and illegally transmitting monetary funds. However, Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Nandi Campbell granted Colbert probation and ordered her to wage restitution, allowing Colbert to debar jailhouse time.

Last week, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said her bureau believes the condemnation successful that lawsuit “was not eligible for probation” and volition question to person Colbert’s condemnation accrued nether the habitual offender statute.

In a connection to CNN, Butler said helium is “deeply grateful that Attorney General Liz Murrill has stepped in” to question the sentencing successful his case. He antecedently expressed disappointment successful the “lenient sentencing” successful a missive to Judge Campbell successful December.

“When Ms. Colbert reoffends—and statistic suggest she apt will—how volition the tribunal reply the inevitable question: Why was idiosyncratic with specified a past of endangering lives fixed yet different chance? If idiosyncratic dies owed to her actions successful the future, their humor volition undeniably beryllium connected the hands of those who allowed her to flight existent accountability today,” helium wrote successful the missive obtained by CNN.

After uncovering retired Colbert had been charged with second-degree murder, Butler wrote successful a connection to CNN connected Tuesday: “If Colbert had been sentenced appropriately successful my case, Manzano—and perchance others—would apt inactive beryllium alive. Justice delayed is justness denied, and it is clip for real, systemic change.”

In 2022, Colbert was doubly arrested successful Las Vegas connected felony charges of expansive larceny and administering a cause to assistance successful a felony crime, tribunal records show. In some cases, she was accused of drugging men successful their edifice rooms and stealing from them. The charges were dismissed due to the fact that the victims did not privation to attest successful court, Colbert’s lawyer for those cases, Daniel Lippmann, told The Associated Press.

“The satellite conscionable went beauteous dark”

Butler antecedently told CNN helium was renovating a location successful New Orleans erstwhile helium met Colbert extracurricular of a French Quarter barroom astir 1 a.m. connected November 6, 2021.

Colbert and different pistillate asked Butler if helium wanted to get a portion with them. Butler agreed and bought them a circular of drinks astatine the bar, which helium prefers not to sanction for the bar’s privacy.

As they were finishing the archetypal circular of drinks, Butler stepped distant from their array for a infinitesimal to bargain a 2nd round.

At that point, helium said the pistillate with Colbert stepped away.

When helium returned to the table, helium finished what was near of his archetypal portion with Colbert and started the 2nd one. He said astir instantly helium started feeling disoriented.

“The satellite conscionable went beauteous dark. I felt woozy and I conscionable knew that thing wasn’t close for maine and benignant of panicked a small bit, you know? Like, I gotta get backmost to the spot I was staying,” helium said.

When helium tried to leave, Colbert ushered Butler into a achromatic Suburban SUV sitting extracurricular the bar, helium said. That was the past happening helium remembers.

A person woke Butler up that evening successful his home. Butler had nary cognition of however helium got there, helium said. He felt similar helium “didn’t cognize what satellite helium was on,” describing the feeling arsenic waking up from wide anesthesia.

Butler’s telephone and wallet were gone. Colbert had stolen $134,000 from him – astir $85,000 from a cryptocurrency relationship and the remainder from recognition paper charges, helium said.

He tells CNN that helium regrets not going to the infirmary aft the incident.

“At the time, like, it didn’t truly adjacent transverse my mind. I mean, I was much acrophobic astir trying to find retired who stole my money,” helium said.

When helium reported the theft to the New Orleans Police Department, helium said that the serviceman questioned if helium truly wanted to record an authoritative report.

“You know, helium was insinuating that I was trying to prosecute Miss Colbert arsenic a prostitute. And helium said, ‘You know, this is going to beryllium nationalist record, and your household volition find out,’” Butler said. “I had to truly beryllium benignant of assertive astatine that constituent for them to instrumentality my report.”

Butler said the enactment did not person thing to bash with prostitution; instead, helium explained that helium loves the civilization of New Orleans wherever radical often marque friends with strangers and stock a affable drink.

Within days, Butler figured retired Colbert’s place and gave it to police, helium said.

Colbert had transferred the cryptocurrency from Butler’s Coinbase wallet to her Coinbase wallet, truthful helium could spot her username, helium said. He typed successful her Coinbase username successful Google and recovered her Facebook account, helium explained.

He besides wrote successful a unfortunate interaction connection that helium has endured “physical and affectional trauma” from the incident.

“When my person yet recovered me, helium thought I mightiness beryllium dead, and adjacent aft I regained consciousness, I felt lost, incapable to deliberation clearly. The ordeal was a nightmare from which I person yet to afloat awaken,” helium wrote successful the unfortunate statement.

Butler said helium besides suffers from survivor’s guilt.

“It’s with maine each day, each day. I’ve checked the net erstwhile each week oregon each different week for her sanction due to the fact that I knew that she was going to termination somebody,” Butler said.

CNN’s Chris Youd and Chris Boyette contributed to this report. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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