A Louisiana jury has decided who answers for the death of a young sports reporter who flew to New Orleans for the Super Bowl and never checked out of his hotel. On Thursday, September 17, 2026, jurors in Jefferson Parish found Danette Colbert guilty of negligent homicide in the death of Adan Manzano, 27, and convicted both Colbert and Ricky White of racketeering for running a scheme that drugged and robbed intoxicated tourists.
The jury deliberated about five hours. Sentencing is set for September 28.
Story Snapshot
- Colbert was convicted of negligent homicide; Colbert and White were both convicted of racketeering.
- Manzano, a Telemundo Kansas City reporter, was found dead in his Kenner hotel room during Super Bowl LIX week in February 2025.
- The coroner attributed his death to alcohol, a Xanax-type drug and positional asphyxia.
- A third defendant, Christian Anderson, pleaded guilty to lesser charges and testified for the state.
Where This Stands Right Now
As of Saturday, September 19, 2026, the convictions stand and the case moves to sentencing on September 28. Prosecutors charged the case as a criminal enterprise rather than a single robbery, which is what put the racketeering count on the table and widens the sentencing range. Defense lawyers have signaled an appeal.
What The Cameras Showed
Surveillance video placed Colbert with Manzano on Bourbon Street and later at his hotel. Police searching her home afterward recovered his debit card, his hotel key card and a bottle containing a Xanax-type drug, according to trial coverage. Anderson, the cooperating co-defendant, described a routine of finding drunk men in the tourist districts, getting into their rooms and leaving with cards and phones.
How He Died
A medical examiner testified that alprazolam combined with alcohol suppresses breathing, and that a heavily impaired person lying face down may not be able to move enough to keep breathing. Manzano was found in that position. That chain of evidence is what let the jury reach negligent homicide without any finding of direct violence.
Why This Case Landed
New Orleans lives on visitors, and this trial put a business model on the record: pick the drunkest man on the street, walk him home, take what he has. Manzano was a father who had come to town to work. The verdict says the people who ran that model own what happened in his room, even if none of them meant for him to die.
What Happens Next
Sentencing on September 28 will show how much weight the court gives the racketeering pattern versus the single death. Any appeal would follow that. Manzano’s family, who sat through the trial, have said they wanted his name attached to something other than a hotel-room death, and the conviction is the first piece of that.
Sources:
theguardian.com, goodmorningamerica.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com, globalnews.ca, yahoo.com
