Woman accused of stealing from Dead Super Bowl -Reporter

New Orleans – Police are investigating the death of a TV reporter who was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl and on Friday announced the arrest of a woman they say, used his credit card.

Adan Manzano, 27, an anchor and reporter for Telemundo in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Wednesday in his hotel room in Kenner, a suburb just outside New Orleans, police say.

Police on Thursday night Louisiana resident Danette Colbert, 49.

She also faces a state crime accused of possession of a stolen firearm, but Kenner Police does not think it is related to Manzano’s case, St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office Lt. Suzanne Carboni.

Colbert was viewed on security video footage arriving with Manzano in his hotel room around 05.00 the day of his death and then left without him about an hour later, police say. She used Manzano’s credit card in several stores in the area, and the authorities later located Manzano’s credit card and mobile phone in Colbert’s residence in Slidell, northeast of New Orleans, they said.

Police also revealed drugs at Colbert’s residence, Kenner Chief of Police Keith Conley said Friday during a press conference. Investigators believe Colbert was acting alone, he said.

Conley described Colbert as a “career criminal” known by the New Orleans police for “fraud arrangements.”

“Everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings,” Conley said. “This brings out that there are people out there who offer other people and bring them into their confidence and sacrifice them.”

A phone number affiliated with Colbert’s residence was interrupted and no one responded to a message sent to an e email attached to her.

Police are awaiting the results of the coroner’s full autopsy, which will determine if Manzano’s death was a murder, Conley said.

Coroner’s Office performs toxicological tests and the results are expected to take three to four weeks, Jefferson Parish director of forensic operations said Tim Genevay. No obvious physical trauma was found on Manzano’s body, he added.

Telemundo Kansas City General Manager Steve Downing said Manzano was a “rising star” and “real professional” – a bilingual TV -anchor and reporter who loved sports and had covered it Kansas City Chiefs ‘The last two Super Bowl victories. He hoped to see a record third equal victory Sunday.

“You would always see him with a smile in his face, he enjoyed the work he did,” Downing said. “He was very committed to serving the local community by giving them the best in sports news.”

Manzano was born in Mexico City and later moved to Kansas, NBC affiliated KNT.

He leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter. He had bred her on her own with the help of the family after his wife died last year in a car accident, Downing said.