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Sacramento Kings center Chance Comanche poses during the NBA basketball team's media day in Sacramento, California, on Oct. 2. (José Luis Villegas, File / AP)

Pro Basketball Player and His Girlfriend Arrested on Murder and Kidnapping Charges

By The Associated Press December 18, 2023 at 10:09am

A player with the Sacramento Kings’ G League affiliate and his girlfriend have been arrested in the killing of a woman whose remains were found earlier this month near Las Vegas, authorities said.

Chance Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, will be charged with murder and kidnapping in the killing of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police announced Sunday.

Rodgers was reported missing on Dec. 7 and her remains were later found in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, police said.

Authorities have not released a cause of death or discussed a possible motive, but police said investigators suspected foul play and obtained evidence to arrest Harnden and Comanche.

Police said Harnden was a friend of Rodgers, who was a medical assistant from Washington state.

According to police, Rodgers was out with friends in Las Vegas on Dec. 5 and had a prearranged meeting with Harnden, who brought Comanche with her.

Harnden was arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas and was being held on a $500,000 bond.

Comanche was taken into custody Friday by the FBI in Sacramento, California, and was being held without bond. Police say he is awaiting extradition to Nevada and is scheduled to appear Tuesday in a Sacramento court.

The Clark County, Nevada, prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking further information. And the public defenders’ offices in Las Vegas and Sacramento didn’t immediately reply to Monday phone messages asking whether either was representing Comanche or Harnden.

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Comanche had been playing for the Stockton (California) Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, and averaged 14 points and seven rebounds in 13 games.

Comanche, a power forward and center, played college basketball at the University of Arizona from 2015-17 before declaring for the NBA draft.

He went undrafted and signed a free-agent contract with the Portland Trail Blazers last April but played only one game.

Sacramento signed Comanche in October but waived him 10 days later, at which point he joined Stockton.

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Court, Death, FBI, Las Vegas, Murder, Nevada, Police, Sports, WJ Wire

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