HENDERSON, NV – A professional basketball player and his girlfriend have been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman in Henderson, Nevada. Chance Comanche, 27, a player for the Stockton Kings in the G-league, and Sakari Harnden, 19, were both taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department.
The victim, Marayna Rodgers, 23, was found dead in a remote desert area in Henderson, Nevada. Rodgers, a medical worker from Washington State, had been reported missing on December 7, a day after she was last seen during a trip to Las Vegas with friends.
Las Vegas police said Rodgers had a prearranged meeting with Harnden, who brought Comanche, her boyfriend, with her. “Early in the investigation, detectives suspected foul play and obtained evidence to arrest Harnden and her boyfriend Comanche for their role in the kidnapping and disappearance of Rodgers,” Las Vegas police said in the statement.
Comanche was apprehended by the California FBI Criminal Apprehension Team on Friday and taken to Sacramento County Jail. A first-degree kidnapping warrant had been issued for him. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound
basketball player has appeared in one NBA game, last season for the Portland Trail Blazers. Meanwhile, the Stockton Kings released Comanche from the team and declined further comment.
Harnden, on the other hand, was arrested on December 13 in Las Vegas and faces charges of first-degree kidnapping. She is being held on $500,000 bail. An initial criminal complaint reportedly claims Harnden held or detained Rodgers against her will to kill her and/or inflict bodily harm.
Comanche is scheduled to appear in Sacramento County court on Tuesday afternoon. Harnden is facing an additional unrelated theft charge in the same court, specifically for the reported stealing of at least one Rolex watch.
Further details about the case, including the motive behind the alleged murder, have not been released. The Stockton Kings had a game against the G-league Ignite in Henderson the day before Rodgers went missing. It is unclear how long Comanche had been in Las Vegas, as the team had another game scheduled in Portland, Oregon, on December 7.
Currently, investigators are piecing together the events that led to Rodgers’ death; they are seeking justice for her family.