Louisiana authorities have charged a second suspect, 34-year-old Rickey White, with second-degree murder in the death of Adan Manzano, a television reporter from Kansas City, Missouri, found dead in his hotel room in Kenner on February 5. Manzano was in New Orleans for the Super Bowl. White’s arrest occurred in Florida in March, where he faced robbery and fraud charges linked to Manzano’s death, before being extradited to Louisiana.
The investigation revealed that White and another suspect, 27-year-old Danette Colbert, were working together. Colbert was seen on security footage leaving Manzano’s hotel room shortly after his death and later used his credit cards illegally. Police Chief Keith Conley mentioned that their correspondence indicated a partnership in the crimes.
White’s attorney, Kevin Boshea, expressed skepticism about the charges, stating he had not been informed of the murder charge prior to a media inquiry, and questioned the evidence tying White to the crime scene. Notably, no evidence was presented to prove White’s presence in New Orleans during the time of the incident. An attorney for Colbert claimed police were making assumptions connecting her to the murder.
An autopsy revealed that Manzano died from asphyxiation while under the influence of alcohol and Xanax, a drug recovered from Colbert’s home. Notably, Manzano had no prescriptions for Xanax or other depressants. Louisiana law allows for second-degree murder charges when drug distribution leads to a death or in the context of certain crimes, including robbery. The investigation remains ongoing, with police continuing to gather evidence surrounding the case.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
