Chance Comanche, a 27-year-old former NBA G League player, and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Sakari Harnden, have been arrested in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers.
Rodgers, a medical assistant from Washington state, was last seen alive on December 5, 2023, after arranging to meet with Harnden, a known acquaintance.
According to police reports, Harnden brought along her boyfriend, Comanche, to the meeting. Rodgers’ family reported her missing on December 7, prompting an intensive investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. The search led to the discovery of human remains in a desert area near Henderson, Nevada. The Clark County Coroner subsequently identified the remains as those of Rodgers.
Court documents revealed that Comanche confessed to police his role in the murder. He admitted to planning Rodgers’ murder with Harnden in late November. The couple lured Rodgers to Las Vegas under the guise of paying her $1,000 for sexual services. Surveillance footage and phone records corroborated their presence together. Comanche detailed how he strangled Rodgers with an HDMI cord and finished the job with his hands. The body was then dumped in a ditch, and Rodgers’ phone was destroyed.
Harnden was arrested in Las Vegas on December 13, 2023, and is currently held on a $500,000 bond.
Comanche, a center for the Stockton Kings, an NBA G League team affiliated with the Sacramento Kings, was released by the Stockton Kings on the day of his arrest and is awaiting extradition to Nevada. He is held without bond and is scheduled for a court appearance in Sacramento.
Comanche played college basketball at the University of Arizona from 2015 to 2017 and appeared in one NBA game with the Portland Trail Blazers in April 2023. Before his arrest, he had been playing for the Stockton Kings, averaging 14 points and seven rebounds in 13 games.
Initially, Harnden and Comanche faced charges of first-degree kidnapping. However, following the discovery of Rodgers’ remains, authorities indicated that the charges would be amended to open murder. Details about the cause of death or the motive behind the crime have not been released.
The arrest warrant for Harnden and Comanche revealed that the couple had been plotting Rodgers’ kidnapping and murder. Text messages showed they planned to lure Rodgers under false pretenses, with discussions of killing her. Surveillance video placed Comanche at the hotel during Rodgers’ disappearance.
If convicted, Harnden and Comanche each face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case continues to develop as more details emerge from the investigation.