Telemundo reporter Adam Mananzo was pictured strolling to a lodge room with the so-called “Bourbon Road Hustler” hours earlier than his demise — because it emerged she is being investigated over one other latest comparable fatality.
Manzano, 27, was seen smiling whereas carrying a plastic purchasing bag as he walked behind Danette Colbert, 48, into the identical room within the New Orleans lodge he would quickly be discovered lifeless in whereas staying there to cowl the Tremendous Bowl.
Colbert was later discovered together with his cellphone and bank card, and investigators have mentioned they’re investigating whether or not she drugged and robbed the reporter.
She can be being investigated over the mysterious demise of a Maryland man — John Jenkins, 55 — who was discovered lifeless from cocaine and ethanol toxicity in a French Quarter lodge on Dec. 15, NOLA.com reported.
“We suspect she could also be associated to the case,” Kenner Police Deputy Chief Mark McCormick mentioned of the sooner case, which was initially labeled as an unintended demise.
Jenkins was additionally on the town for a soccer recreation — a Saints and Washington Commanders match-up — sparking concern from his pals who requested a wellness examine when he was a no-show.
He was discovered unresponsive in his lodge room, McCormick mentioned.
Kenner detectives are working with Louisiana Lawyer Basic Liz Murrill’s workplace and State Police Troop Nola to analyze Jenkins’ demise and attainable ties to Colbert.
A number of different alleged victims of Colbert have come ahead following Manzano’s demise, together with David Butler, 52, who met Colbert within the French Quarter.
Throughout their encounter, Butler mentioned, Colbert provided him a cocktail that made him really feel disoriented and in want of assist getting residence.
“She ushered me into some type of black Suburban that was actually proper there,” he advised NBC Information. “And that’s the very last thing I keep in mind that evening.”
A property supervisor discovered Butler handed out on the ground and shook him awake, with the sufferer discovering his telephone and pockets gone and his bank cards used to make thousand-dollar prices at Finest Purchase and Walmart.
Greater than $80,000 that Butler stashed away in a cryptocurrency account for retirement was additionally gone, he mentioned.
Nevada court docket data present that Colbert was charged in 2022 with grand larceny and administering a drug to help within the fee of a felony in two separate instances. Each instances have been dismissed after the victims refused to testify in court docket.
Colbert was convicted final October of laptop fraud, theft, and unlawful transmission of financial funds, with Orleans Legal District Choose Nandi Campbell forgoing jail time and as an alternative ordering her to pay restitution and stay on probation for 5 years, in response to court docket data.
Butler slammed the sentence and claimed Manzano wouldn’t have misplaced his life if Campbell had levied a harsher sentence.
“Had the court docket acted decisively by incarcerating Ms. Colbert or imposing stricter circumstances for her launch, it’s attainable Mr. Manzano would nonetheless be alive as we speak,” Butler advised NBC.