On Monday, authorities in Louisiana charged a second individual in connection with the murder of a television reporter who had gone to New Orleans for Super Bowl coverage.
Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor with Telemundo in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead on February 5 in a hotel room near Kenner, New Orleans. A woman seen leaving his room on security footage has already been charged with two counts of murder, along with counts of credit card theft and theft of his cell phone.
Kenner police announced that a man named Ricky White, 34, has also been charged with second-degree murder. White was arrested in Florida in March for robbery and fraud linked to Manzano’s death before being extradited back to Louisiana.
According to the police, the charges against White came after extensive investigative work, although no further details were provided.
During a press briefing on March 18, Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley noted that investigators connected White to the first suspect, Danette Colbert, based on communications showing their movements.
White’s attorney, Kevin Bosia, mentioned that they were not informed of the murder charge until contacted by an Associated Press reporter on Monday. “I don’t think he’s guilty of any other crime,” Bosia stated, questioning how he could be blamed for murder.
Bosia also highlighted that she had pressed the police regarding the robbery and fraud charges during a preliminary hearing last month.
Colbert’s legal team argued that police were merely making “assumptions and speculations” to connect her to Manzano’s death.
Louisiana law indicates that individuals can be charged with second-degree murder if they distribute drugs leading to death or commit certain crimes, such as robbery, that result in a fatality.
In March, Jefferson Parish coroner Jerry Kvitanovic revealed that Manzano died while lying on a pillow, unable to breathe.
Security footage showed both Manzano and Colbert entering his hotel room on the day he died, with Colbert leaving alone about an hour later. Officials allege that she later used Manzano’s credit cards for purchases at various locations in New Orleans.
Police further stated that Manzano’s medical records did not reveal any prescriptions for Xanax or other depressants, and the medication was later found at Colbert’s residence.
