Earlier sufferer of girl linked to demise of journalist says he tried to warn public

A person who survived being drugged and robbed of greater than $134,000 by a girl linked to the demise of a tv sports activities journalist overlaying the latest Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans stated he desires “to see her go to jail for so long as she will be able to” after she was let off with probation in his case.

David Butler, 52, additionally stated he had tried to warn each the general public and the courthouse that dealt with his case towards Danette Colbert that she may “find yourself killing somebody” if left unchecked.

However, with authorities now working to verify whether or not she fatally drugged reporter Adan Manzano earlier than he was discovered lifeless and robbed in his resort close to New Orleans, he has been left to rue that these tried admonitions had been, evidently, fruitless.

“I imagine she’s very harmful,” Butler stated in an interview. “I need to see her locked up for the remainder of her life” if she killed Manzano, he added, although she might nonetheless be sure for jail in reference to probation violations.

Butler’s retelling of his pricey encounter with Colbert throughout an evening out on New Orleans’ well-known Bourbon Road within the fall of 2021 got here lower than two weeks after Manzano’s demise.

Surveillance digital camera photos launched by police confirmed Manzano and Colbert collectively on Bourbon Road earlier than they walked into his room at a resort close to New Orleans’s airport in Kenner, Louisiana, throughout the early morning of 5 February. Colbert finally left alone. Lodge workers discovered Manzano lifeless after he missed a gathering about his work for the Spanish-language tv channel Telemundo Kansas Metropolis, which might be chronicling that metropolis’s soccer crew, the Chiefs, enjoying the Philadelphia Eagles within the Tremendous Bowl at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome on 9 February.

Investigators later arrested Colbert, 48, on allegations that she had stolen the bank card Manzano had used to test in to his resort alongside along with his cellphone. In addition they started theorizing that Colbert might have drugged Manzano, 26, earlier than his demise due to information tales documenting allegations that she had drugged and robbed males in Las Vegas, although the outcomes of exams displaying which substances might have been within the late reporter’s physique remained pending Friday.

These take a look at outcomes might result in Colbert being charged instantly with Manzano’s demise. Nonetheless, within the meantime, worldwide information protection of Manzano’s demise prompted Butler to come ahead within the media and describe what he endured when he, too, had met Colbert on Bourbon.

He stated he had been within the metropolis from out of city renovating a property he owns and had gone out to Bourbon Road to unwind on the night of 5 November 2021. Late into the evening, Colbert and one other girl accompanied Butler right into a bar, the place they shared drinks. He “began feeling woozy” unusually shortly, as police later wrote in a sworn assertion filed in courtroom, and he determined to move dwelling.

As he climbed right into a cab, Colbert acquired in and stated: “Let me get you dwelling secure.” Then she accompanied him to the property he was renovating, courtroom paperwork stated. Butler’s final recollection of the evening was strolling into the house. His subsequent reminiscence was being woken by his leasing agent and realizing that his gold ring, watch, cellphone and pockets had been gone.

Greater than $80,000 in cryptocurrency that he had been relying on for his retirement was lacking, too. His bank card had been used to cost hundreds of {dollars} at retailers.

As a result of he was targeted on discovering out who had robbed him, Butler stated he didn’t go to the hospital to see what might have been put in his drink.

Police stated they finally recognized Colbert as Butler’s thief as a result of she had been related to the title of the digital cloud account to which his crypto financial savings was transferred: “QueenTX100.” Authorities charged her with crimes together with theft and fraud, at one level publishing a information launch in regards to the case.

Butler shared that launch on social media, including: “She goes to finish up killing somebody.”

Colbert was finally convicted at trial. Butler hoped she would obtain a stiff punishment: not solely had he submitted a press release to the courtroom outlining how Colbert’s actions had “devastated [his] life”, but in addition, in early 2022, she had been accused of stealing $100,000 in money, jewellery, upscale baggage and on line casino chips from the Las Vegas resort room of one other man whom she had allegedly drugged.

Moreover, whereas out on bond within the Las Vegas case, she had allegedly drugged one other man there and stolen his $60,000 watch, on line casino chips and bank cards after he invited her to his resort room.

Prosecutors in Las Vegas in the end dismissed each of these instances, in response to courtroom data. Nonetheless, a 3rd case from 2022 in Las Vegas remained unresolved, centering on allegations that she had pushed by means of a college space at practically 100mph, touchdown her fees of rushing, amongst different offenses.

Butler didn’t see Colbert get the punishment he had hoped for. She was placed on probation for 5 years and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution – at month-to-month funds of $834 all through her sentence.

In keeping with Butler, Colbert has not paid him a cent of restitution. He submitted a letter to the courthouse the place Colbert was convicted that requested: “Why was somebody with such a historical past of endangering lives given yet one more likelihood? If somebody dies resulting from her actions sooner or later, their blood will undeniably be on the fingers of those that allowed her to flee actual accountability at present.”

It was somewhat greater than two months after Butler despatched his letter that Manzano – a widowed father of a toddler – was discovered lifeless, and Colbert was arrested once more. Amongst her quite a few different authorized points confronting her in numerous jurisdictions, prosecutors in Butler’s case by Monday had filed a movement to revoke Colbert’s probation and ship her to jail.

Butler on Friday stated all he might hope for now could be for his case and Colbert’s to spark a significant dialogue in regards to the want for folks with histories like hers to face substantial penalties earlier than it’s too late.

“I used to be afraid she would strike many times and once more,” Butler stated. “And … I suppose I wish to see some reform.”