A man who says he was reportedly robbed and possibly drugged by Danette Colbert, the woman now charged in connection with the death of Telemundo Super Bowl reporter Adan Manzano, is speaking out, claiming he warned authorities she was dangerous.
David Butler, 52, said he encountered Colbert, 48, back in November 2021 while in New Orleans renovating a property. After meeting her at a bar, he believes she allegedly drugged him, robbed him of his savings, and left him unconscious on a mattress, as reported by NBC News.
"She ushered me into some kind of black Suburban that was literally right there," Butler told the outlet. "And that's the last thing I remember that night."
When he woke up hours later, his phone and wallet were gone. His credit cards had been used for thousands in fraudulent purchases, and more than $80,000 from his cryptocurrency account had disappeared. Using the unique identifier from the account his funds had been transferred to, Butler tracked down Colbert's Facebook page and provided the information to police.
"The ordeal devastated my life," he said in a victim impact statement.
Colbert was convicted of computer fraud, theft, and illegal transmission of monetary funds in 2023. Instead of a lengthy prison sentence, she was placed on probation and ordered to pay restitution, according to court records. Butler said the court's leniency allowed her to continue targeting others.
"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 told NBC News.
Manzano, 27, was found dead in his hotel room February 5 while covering the Super Bowl.
Surveillance footage captured Manzano following Colbert to his hotel room at 3:46 a.m. The footage also shows Colbert leaving Manzano's room twice. She first left alone at 4:45 a.m. and returned 20 minutes later. She then made two trips to the reception desk, appearing to request an extra room key. At 5:21 a.m., she left the room for the final time.
🚨NEW: Surveillance video captures the moment Super Bowl reporter #AdanManzano, 27, followed the Bourboun Street Hustler into a hotel, where he was later found dead.
— Unmasked True Crime (@crimeunmasked) February 10, 2025
Adan was a rising star reporter with Telemundo and was in New Orleans, visiting from Kansas City to report on… pic.twitter.com/bQLPhliX4a
While no cause of death has been determined, authorities are investigating whether he was drugged, given Colbert's history of similar crimes.
Colbert faces fraud and theft-related charges in Manzano's death, with police saying additional charges could come.
Since her arrest, additional alleged victims have come forward with reports eerily similar to Butler's experience.
Police continue to investigate whether Colbert could face more charges as they await toxicology results in Manzano's case.
