The so-called “Hustler of Bourbon Street” being held in connection with the death of a Telemundo sports reporter may have left a trail of other victims, including at least one other fatality.
Police in Kenner, La., say at least a dozen people have contacted them to say they or a loved one may have been a victim of career criminal Danette Colbert, 48.
Colbert, of Slidell, La., was arrested on Feb.7 after she was captured in surveillance video leaving Adan Manzano’s hotel room before allegedly using his credit card at stores around New Orleans, where the rising star journalist with Telemundo Kansas City was covering the Super Bowl, Kenner police said.
At the time, she had only been charged with property crimes, including bank fraud and theft — but she has previously been accused of drugging at least two men and swiping their credit cards, police said.
Jason Egle, 50, a traveling nurse, told NBC News that he believes he was conned by Colbert in Oct. 2021 when he awoke in his parents’ home — and realized that his phone had been swapped out and he felt as if he’d been drugged.
He said Colbert had pretended to be an Uber driver and brought him home — even though NBC News reported that Uber has no record of her working for them.
Another man, Eric Maul, also told NBC News he thinks he was preyed on by Colbert while she allegedly posed as an Uber driver in the French Quarter.
He said he filed a report with New Orleans police the day after his phone was taken in 2021 and thousands of dollars were stolen from accounts linked to the device but didn’t hear anything more from authorities, NBC reported.
The lack of response, Maul said, made him believe “they didn’t do anything.”
Another possible victim, John Jenkins, 55, was found unresponsive in a New Orleans hotel in December. Colbert’s name hadn’t come up in connection with his death but Kenner police told NBC they now suspect she may have been involved.
And three years ago, David Butler, 52, who was visiting New Orleans, accused Colbert of drugging him, robbing his savings and leaving him for dead, NBC News reported Saturday.
Colbert was convicted in October 2024 of computer fraud, theft and illegal transmission of monetary funds, but Butler told NBC News that her “continued disregard for others” should have meant a lengthy prison sentence.
The judge suspended a combined sentence that woulda have put her behind bars for years and instead ordered Colbert to pay restitution and remain on probation for five years, NBC reported.
“Had the court acted decisively by incarcerating Ms. Colbert or enforcing stricter conditions for her release, it is possible Mr. Manzano would still be alive today,” Butler said.
In Manzano’s case, security footage indicated that Colbert arrived with the 27-year-old journalist at the hotel room in Kenner around 4 a.m. Wednesday, then left alone a few moments later, police said at the time.
Twelve hours later, Manzano, of Topeka, Kan., was found dead when hotel staff performed a wellness check after he missed a morning appointment.
Police are awaiting toxicological tests in Manzano’s death.
Telemundo Kansas City creative services director Ely Martinez told NBC News that Manzano’s death has been like “losing my little brother.”
Manzano “was always asking, ‘What can I do to be a better father, to do the best I can for her?’” said Martinez, who knew the sports reporter for over 3 years. “It was very important to him to be a good dad.”
