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Two people sentenced to 60 and 45 years in prison in death of Telemundo reporter
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Louisiana judge Nancy Miller sentenced Danette Colbert to 60 years in prison for racketeering and negligent homicide in the 2025 death of journalist Adan Manzano, while Rickey White received 45 years for racketeering.
- Manzano, a reporter for Telemundo Kansas City covering the 2025 Super Bowl, died from positional asphyxiation in his hotel room days before the game; toxicology reports showed Xanax and alcohol in his system.
- The convictions stem from a criminal enterprise dating back to 2012, in which Colbert, White, and a co-defendant targeted tourists in New Orleans’ French Quarter by luring them with promises of sex before drugging and robbing them.
- At the sentencing, Manzano’s family expressed deep grief and called for justice, with his father describing the day as a “say day” and urging for harsh punishment for those responsible.
- Colbert had previously received a 25-year sentence for probation violations related to theft and fraud, and the judge criticized her longstanding criminal behavior and indifference to its impact.
