NBA G League Player Charged with Murder Admitted to Strangling Woman with Television Cord, Police Say

Mar. 15, 2025

Chance Comanche, left, and Sakari Harnden.Photo:Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty; Las Vegas Metro Police Department

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty; Las Vegas Metro Police Department

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department previously said Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, were suspected of killing Marayna Rodgers, who had been reported missing on Dec. 7.

Comanche, who played for the Stockton Kings, the G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested Dec. 15 in Sacramento, the police department said. Harnden was arrested in Las Vegas two days before, the department said. Police said Rodgers’ body was found following Comanche’s arrest.

After Comanche was arrested, according to the warrant, police say he admitted to killing Rodgers with Harnden, after the latter told him she had been having problems with the former. Comanche allegedly told police he and Harnden had previously dated but had since broken up, though had kept in contact.

Harnden allegedly told Rodgers that Comanche was into “kinky sex” and that he wanted to zip tie her hands, to which she consented, the warrant stated.

After zip tying Rodgers’ hands, Comanche said he began strangling Rodgers with an HDMI cord, but eventually stopped after about 10 seconds, though Harnden continued, police claimed in the warrant. Eventually Rodgers stopped breathing and Comanche said he and Harnden then dumped her body in a ditch before returning to the hotel where his team was staying, according to the affidavit.

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Harnden is charged with kidnapping and murder and is in custody. She is due in court on Feb. 8, jail records indicate. It is unclear if she has entered a plea. Comanche remains in custody in Sacramento and is awaiting extradition to Nevada to face charges.

The Sacramento Kings announced they released Comanche on Dec. 15, the same day he was arrested. On Dec. 5, the day Comanche allegedly met Rodgers, the Stockton Kings played a game in Henderson, Nev., just outside of Las Vegas.

Comanche is 6-foot-10 and played college basketball at Arizona. He appeared in one NBA game last season for the Portland Trail Blazers.

source: people.com