The investigation of the death of journalist Adán Manzano, found dead in his New Orleans hotel room while covering the 2025 Super Bowl, continues to bring new revelations to light. Now it has emerged that he had non-prescribed drugs in his system.
A Jefferson Parish official told NBC News that the Telemundo reporter had Xanax in his system at the time of his death but did not have a prescription for the medication.
Concretely, a detective involved in the case testified that a preliminary toxicology report confirmed the presence of alprazolam in the victim's body.
It remains unclear how and when the substance entered his system or in what quantity. However, the detective clarified that it was not the cause of his death.
The same substance was found at the residence of Danette Colbert, 48, who was arrested as a suspect the day after Manzano's death.
How is Colbert involved?
Colbert, who has a criminal record for fraud and theft, has not been directly linked to his death, but authorities confirmed that she misused Manzano's credit cards after he died.
Police found the victim's phone and bank card in Colbert's home, further implicating her, according to Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley.
It was also revealed that Manzano entered his hotel room with Colbert around 4:30 a.m. on February 3, the day he died.
Manzano may not be her first victim, as Colbert is well known to New Orleans authorities. Police have linked her to multiple fraud cases in the French Quarter, a popular tourist district.
Her criminal record dates back to 2014, when she was convicted of theft in Louisiana and sentenced to probation. In 2022, she faced similar accusations in Las Vegas, though those charges were later dismissed.
Investigators are now taking a closer look at her connection to Manzano to determine whether his death could be linked to her past crimes.
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