New Orleans, with its vibrant live music scene, distinct Creole culture and energetic nightlife, is always a party.

And that was certainly the case on the evening of Tuesday, February 4th, 2025.

That week, New Orleans was hosting the 59th Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs were set to square off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Thousands of people were in town for the big game, so the area's typical devil-maycare energy was turned up even higher than usual.

It was in this lively setting that 27-year-old Adon Manzano found himself at a work party.

He was a sports reporter for Telemundo based in Topeka, Kansas.

He had also recently suffered a tragedy,

losing his wife in a car accident less than a year before.

He's a person who's grieving his wife.

You know, he's, there could have been an element of that that she sniffed out that vulnerability

and used it to her advantage.

Adon threw himself into his work after his wife's death.

But now, he had a chance to let loose. So when he found himself riding the high of a party,

and with the infectious energy of the Big Easy all around him, it's understandable that he wanted to

keep the good times rolling. Adon wandered away from the event and into the French Quarter, known for its live music

and raucous party scene.

And somewhere along the way, he crossed paths with 48-year-old Danette Colbert.

It's a vulnerable place to be, out on the town in an unfamiliar place.

Inhibitions lowered by drink after drink.

It can be fun to let your hair down, you know, get to know new people.

But the nature of meeting people on a night out is that you have no idea who they really

are or if they have good intentions.

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