LAS VEGAS, NV – A professional basketball player associated with the Sacramento Kings’ G League affiliate and his girlfriend have been taken into custody in connection with the murder of a woman whose remains were discovered near Las Vegas earlier this month, according to law enforcement authorities.
The suspects, 27-year-old Chance Comanche and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Sakari Harnden, are facing charges of murder and kidnapping in relation to the death of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers. The Las Vegas police department made the announcement on Sunday.
Rodgers was reported missing on December 7, and her remains were subsequently discovered in the suburban area of Henderson, located near Las Vegas, as per the police report.
The authorities have not disclosed the cause of death, nor has any potential motive been discussed. However, investigators had suspected foul play from the beginning, and through their diligent work, they gathered enough evidence to apprehend Harnden and Comanche.
According to the police, Harnden was a known associate of Rodgers, who worked as a medical assistant and hailed from Washington state. On December 5, Rodgers had been out with friends in Las Vegas and had a planned meeting with Harnden. Harnden brought Comanche along to this meeting, the police said.
Harnden was apprehended on Wednesday in Las Vegas and is currently being held without bail. When contacted on Monday, Marissa Pensabene, a Clark County Public Defender, declined to comment on Harnden’s behalf.
Comanche was arrested on Friday by the FBI in Sacramento, California, and is also being held without bond. He is pending extradition to Nevada and will appear in a Sacramento court on Tuesday. As of Monday, no legal representation for Comanche was listed in court records.
The Clark County, Nevada, prosecutor’s office has yet to provide additional information regarding the case. Similarly, public defenders’ Las Vegas and Sacramento offices have yet to respond to inquiries about whether they will represent Comanche.
Comanche, a power forward and center, had been playing for the Stockton Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 14 points and seven rebounds in 13 games. Before his professional career, Comanche played college basketball at the University of Arizona from 2015-17 before declaring for the NBA draft.
Despite going undrafted, Comanche signed a free-agent contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in April last year but only played one game. He was signed by Sacramento in October but was waived after just ten days, at which point he joined the Stockton Kings.