Former pro-basketball player claims Las Vegas murder was over Rolex watch
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Clark County grand jury has indicted a former NBA G-league player and his ex-girlfriend in connection with the murder of a woman on Dec. 6.
Chance Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, are charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree kidnapping with the use of a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to the indictment dated March 7.
Comanche and Harnden are accused of killing Marayna Rodgers, 23, by strangling her and then burying her body in a Henderson neighborhood.
Harnden and Rodgers were both sex workers, according to a Las Vegas Metro police arrest report. Rodgers had thought she and Harnden were going on a “double date” to sell sex, but instead, Comanche had pretended to be a client, police said.
Comanche confessed about the murder, according to detectives. He told police the motive was over a Rolex watch, according to grand jury transcripts obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators.
Homicide detective Aaron Jenkins told the panel that Comanche said, “Sakari owns a Rolex watch that Marayna was, I guess she wanted the watch and Marayna made comments to mutual friends about if she did not receive the watch that she would use his terms ‘smoke’ Sakari for the watch.”
Jenkins clarified that “smoke” meant “shoot.” A possible motive previously identified in an arrest report pointed to a double murder in California.
Harden allegedly implicated a man identified as her boyfriend in a double murder in California, the report stated. The boyfriend was in custody for the murder in San Joaquin County jail, police said.
“Sakari was upset at Marayna for telling other people that Sakari had implicated her boyfriend in the murder,” the arrest report stated.
Comanche also provided detectives with his PIN to get into his phone, Jenkins testified. Police said that they uncovered messages dating back to Dec. 1 between Comanche and Harnden planning the kidnapping and murder of Rodgers.
Grand jury transcripts also revealed the name of a third person who may have known about the alleged murder plot.
Comanche had tried to find someone to kill Rodgers, Jenkins testified.
“Trynna find a [ghost emoji gun emoji],” the third person in the report messaged on Dec. 3. Ghost guns are typically assembled by the buyer and untraceable.
The third person was identified during the grand jury proceedings as Travion Carter, a friend Comanche knew from basketball.
“One of his friends that knew someone so they were I guess initially successful in finding someone, but that person backed out at some point,” Jenkins said.
It appears Carter has not been charged in connection with the murder investigation.
Comanche and Harnden continued to communicate about the alleged plot, police said.
“Pretend to be a trick and have her come to wherever you at and get her when she show up,” Harnden messaged Comanche, according to police.
On the night of Dec. 5, Comanche messaged Rodgers posing as an individual interested in purchasing sexual acts, also known as a trick. This is the same night Comanche’s team played at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.
The transcripts also reveal more about the final moments of Rodgers’ life, with Comanche claiming he was into “kinky sex,” an excuse to put zip ties on the hands of Rodgers. Comanche admitted to strangling Rodgers with an HDMI cord while he was in the backseat, police said. He told detectives “I b****ed out,” when she started making noises consistent with being strangled, according to police. Harnden continued to choke Rodgers, the arrest report stated.
Police said Comanche told police where the pair put the remains of Rodgers. Detectives provided him with a map and he was able to “pin drop” the location near Horizon Ridge Parkway and Gibson Road, according to Jenkins.
Comanche said he and Harnden previously dated after they met on a dating app, but stayed in touch, even having a nickname for each other, “twin.”
Comanche and Harnden are scheduled for an initial arraignment in Clark County District Court on March 13. Both of them remain in custody.
Harnden also faces an unrelated theft charge after police said she stole a Rolex. Court records indicate that negotiations in the case are underway. The next court appearance is scheduled for May 15.
The Stockton Kings released Comanche from the team the week of his arrest.
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