A former pro basketball player strangled a Washington medical assistant to death with an HDMI cord as he lured her to have “kinky sex” with him and another woman, who had planned the murder, newly released police records revealed.
Chance Comanche, 27, confessed that he was helping his ex-girlfriend, Sakari Harnden, 19, with the gruesome murder of Marayna Rodgers on Dec. 6, while he was in the area “between team activities,” according to Las Vegas police records obtained by KCRA.
Comanche played for the Stockton Kings, the NBA G League affiliate for the Sacramento Kings,
Rodgers, a 23-year-old from Lakewood, Wash., had traveled down to Sin City on Dec. 1 with a friend with the “intent to engage in prostitution.”
That same night, Harnden began seeking her ex-beau’s help after there were reported issues between her and Rodgers.
Harnden and Rodgers, who both worked as prostitutes in the Vegas area, argued over a Rolex as Rodgers threatened to “smoke” Harnden if she didn’t give her the watch.
Comanche and Harnden then decided to kill Rodgers when they failed to hire a hitman for $3,000.
They discussed several different ways to commit the murder which included poisoning, strangulation, and using a gun.
“I can snap her neck or just strangle the bitch,” Comanche allegedly wrote in a group message between Harnden and a third man, who had contact with someone that could get Rodgers “chipped.” “If you get a nice little thick piece of rope or sum sturdy I can do it from the backseat. Like how the killers do it in the movies.”
Harnden and Rodgers had also got into an altercation on Dec. 4, after she allegedly implicated Rodgers’ boyfriend in a double murder in California, which led to the man’s arrest.
Comanche met Harnden through a dating app, a year and a half ago, and broke up after a few months of dating.
The two remained in touch following their breakup.
Rodgers was lured to her death by Comanche and Harnden who promised her a double date with another man, and to meet them at a pre-determined location, according to newly released text messages.
On Dec. 4, Comanche had checked into the M Resort and Casino in Henderson, Nevada with the Kings, as they were playing a game the next night at the Dollar Loan Center.
Following the Kings’ game, Comanche made his way back to his hotel with the team, before he went back outside and got into Harnden’s car where they drove to meet Rodgers.
After purchasing alcohol the trio drove to a cul-de-sac near the former house of Comanche’s friend, where they had originally planned the murder.
Harnden had explained to Rodgers that Comanche was the “trick” (a prostitute client) and was “going to pay them for their services,” with Sakari explaining Comanche was into “kinky sex” and wanted to tie them both up, before having sex.
“(Rodgers) agreed and began removing her clothes. (Harnden) removed her clothing and climbed over the center console and straddled (Rodgers’) lap,” the police records read, before adding Comanche had grabbed a bag of plastic zip-ties that were already in the car and handed two to Sakari.
Rodgers willingly had her wrist restrained together before Comanche wrapped a cord around her neck while Harnden, still straddling Rodgers, placed her hands onto the defenseless woman’s neck.
Comanche told police he used an HDMI cord to strangle Rodgers for “10 seconds” and stopped when he heard his victim struggling to breathe, but Harnden continued.
Rodgers then became unresponsive.
Comanche and Harnden checked her pulse and determined she was dead when they saw “fluid coming out of (Rodgers’) mouth.”
The deadly pair pulled over to the side of a road in Henderson, Nevada and dumped Rodgers’ body in a ditch before covering the body with rocks.
Comanche confessed to police that he used a towel to pick up the rocks to avoid getting his DNA on them.
The accused killers smashed Rodgers’ phone and drove back to the team hotel, where they stayed until Comanche left with the team around 8:50 a.m.
Comanche and Harnden remained in contact after the murder with police believing the former King was coaching Harnden through how to talk to law enforcement.
“Calmly answer them. They only know what you tell them,” Comanche said at 10:03 a.m. on Dec. 6. “You got this boo. This is the post game interview. Just smile and wave.”
Comanche played in another game with the Kings in Portland on Dec. 7, a day after the killing.
Detectives found Rodgers’ body in the ditch on Dec. 15, after Comanche pointed to the location on a map during his interview.
Harnden was arrested on Dec. 13, and charged with felony first-degree kidnapping and felony theft, for allegedly stealing a Rolex valued between $5,000 and $25,000, according to court records.
FBI agents and the Sacramento County police arrested Comanche on a first-degree kidnapping charge on Dec. 15.
The Kings confirmed to the Post that Comanche was released from the organization, but declined further comment.
On Monday, a criminal complaint was filed in Las Vegas court charging both Comanche and Harnden with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder, both felonies.
They both made their initial court appearances on Tuesday.
Comanche played college basketball at Arizona and played in one NBA game, with the Portland Trail Blazers on April 9, 2023.
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