A woman charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a Super Bowl television reporter has received a 25-year sentence in an unrelated matter.
Danette Colbert, 48, was given a suspended sentence by a parish judge in Orleans last year after being found guilty of theft and fraud.
The Louisiana Attorney General’s office argued that Colbert, who has several previous felony convictions, is a habitual offender and should face a harsher penalty.
Colbert was on probation when she was arrested on February 5 for reportedly stealing the cell phone and bank card of a reporter who was later found dead in his hotel room while in town for Super Bowl coverage.
Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter based in Kansas City, Missouri, died after choking while lying on his pillow. Authorities later discovered alcohol and Xanax in his system.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Colbert leaving Manzano’s hotel room located on the outskirts of New Orleans, in Kenner.
Two-degree murder charges still loom over Colbert and another individual in Jefferson Parish, which borders New Orleans.
According to Attorney General Liz Murril, the evidence indicates that Colbert has a history of preying on tourists and innocent individuals over the years in local areas.
Colbert’s attorney, Jerome Matthews, has not responded to requests for comment. Stavros Panagoulopoulos, who represents her in the murder case, also declined to provide a statement.
