Las Vegas Metro Police say that a G-league basketball player for the Stockton Kings and his girlfriend are accused of killing a woman who had been reported missing.
Chance Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, are likely to be charged with murder in a public way. Police said the body of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers was found in the desert in Henderson, which is just outside of Las Vegas.
Someone said that Rodgers, a medical assistant from Washington state, was lost. Investigators from 8 News Now were told by her family and friends that she was last seen on December 6 while in Las Vegas with friends. Police said that she was last seen in the afternoon of December 7.
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A news statement says that Rodgers was out with friends on December 5 and had a meeting planned with Harnden, who was going to bring her boyfriend. Police said that detectives thought there was foul play and found proof to arrest Comanche and Harnden.
As a result of the investigation, 8 News Now has learned that Comanche was arrested on Friday by a California FBI Criminal Apprehension Team. A warrant for his arrest for first-degree kidnapping was issued in Las Vegas Justice Court early Friday morning, and he was taken to the Sacramento County Jail. He is likely to be sent back to Nevada.
The Stockton Kings let Comanche go on Friday. A spokesman for the team refused to say anything else about it.
The Stockton Kings played the G-league Ignite at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson on December 5. That was the day before Rodgers’ family said he left the area. We don’t know how long Comanche had been in Las Vegas. They played at the Rip City Remix in Portland, Oregon, on December 7.
At first, 8 News Now Investigators said that Harnden, 19, was arrested on Dec. 13 on a first-degree kidnapping charge. In Las Vegas, she was caught. She was still in a downtown Las Vegas jail on $500,000 bail as of Sunday morning.
People close to Rodgers told 8 News Now investigators that she had a good job and would never leave her family in Washington state or the dogs she brought to Las Vegas.
Based on the criminal complaint against Harnden for kidnapping, it was said that she kept Rodgers against her will and without her permission in order to kill her or hurt her physically.
On December 14, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Diana Sullivan set Harnden’s bail at $500,000. This is what the court records show. High-level electronic tracking was one of the conditions. It also said that “the State shall immediately notify the Court if the alleged victim is found alive.”
The arrest order for Comanche was also signed by Judge Sullivan.
Records from the Sacramento County jail show that Comanche is due in court on Tuesday afternoon.
He was also charged with theft in a different case in Las Vegas Justice Court. According to the criminal case, she was charged with stealing at least one Rolex. The theft charge didn’t seem to have anything to do with the kidnapping case.
Harnden turned down 8 News Now Investigators’ request to talk to him. Public defender records show that she has a lawyer. On Dec. 28, there will be a formal hearing for the kidnapping charge. On Dec. 19, there will be a check on the theft charge.
The Las Vegas-based Dock Ellis Foundation works to help the families of missing and killed people of color. They sent 8 News Now Investigators the following statement:
We will keep an eye on Marayna Rodgers’ case through the Dock Ellis Foundation. This is a terrible situation for our town, her family, and her friends. During this hard time, the Dock Ellis Foundation sends its deepest condolences to her family.
Again, we ask the community to keep praying for everyone who has been reported missing or killed. Because of your hard work, Maryana Rodgers will get justice.