Second Suspect Faces Murder Charge in Reporter’s Death Linked to Super Bowl

On Monday, authorities in Louisiana charged an additional suspect with murder in connection to the death of a television reporter found in his hotel room. This reporter was in New Orleans covering February's Super Bowl.

The incident involved a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo, hailing from Kansas City, Missouri. His lifeless body was discovered on February 5 in a hotel situated in Kenner, a New Orleans suburb. A female caught on surveillance footage exiting his room faced charges of second-degree murder, along with accusations of credit card and phone theft.

Recently, Kenner police revealed an accomplice, identified as 34-year-old Rickey White, who now also faces a second-degree murder charge. White was previously detained in Florida on charges tied to robbery and fraud connected to the reporter's demise, and was subsequently moved to Louisiana.

The murder charge filed against White stemmed from ongoing investigative work, police stated. However, they provided no additional insight into these efforts.

Connections Between the Suspects

In March, Kenner's Police Chief Keith Conley expressed that investigators had drawn connections between White and Danette Colbert, the primary suspect, through their interactions. Evidence suggested a collaborative effort in the crime.

White's attorney, Kevin Boshea, claimed to be uninformed about the murder charge until media inquiries. He argued that without being guilty of other crimes, the murder charge seemed unfounded.

Boshea pushed for evidence of White's presence in New Orleans at the time of the reporter's death during a preliminary hearing on related charges. However, no proof was provided by the police.

Details of the Crime

Under Louisiana statutes, a second-degree murder charge may be applied for drug distribution causing death or for other crimes leading to someone's demise, like robbery.

An autopsy reported the reporter died from asphyxia after consuming alcohol mixed with Xanax. The coroner shared these findings in March.

Authorities shared that surveillance footage showed the reporter and Colbert entering the hotel room together, with Colbert leaving alone shortly after. She allegedly used the reporter's credit card post-death.

Police stated that the reporter lacked medical prescriptions for Xanax, with the drug found at Colbert's residence. Colbert had prior legal issues involving theft and drug-related crimes.

Colbert had been previously accused in Las Vegas of drugging individuals to rob them; those charges were dismissed as victims were unwilling to testify.

Further Investigations and Charges

Investigators theorized that Colbert encountered the reporter during a night out, later drugging him to facilitate theft. White allegedly assisted with the theft logistics, including transportation.

Communication records show White and Colbert were in frequent contact on the day of the reporter's death, discussing methods to subdue victims and obtain their PIN codes.

The Kenner police are collaborating with various state agencies to deepen the investigation into the reporter’s tragic death.