Former NBA player Chance Comanche has confessed to working with his girlfriend to strangle a woman to death in Las Vegas earlier this month, according to authorities and court documents.
The shocking revelation came to light as Comanche, who briefly played for the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers, was playing for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League at the time of the incident. The court filing alleges that Comanche conspired with his girlfriend, Sakari Harnden, to carry out the killing.
The Gruesome Plan
According to the court documents, Comanche and Harnden had been exchanging text messages, some of which included emojis of a gun, a ghost, and a coffin, discussing their plan to hire someone to carry out the murder for $3,000. However, when they couldn’t find anyone willing to do it, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
In a disturbing text message, Comanche wrote to Harnden, “If you get a nice little thick piece of rope or sum sturdy I can do it from the back seat. Like how killers do it in the movies.”
A Tragic Encounter
The court filing reveals that the victim, Marayna Rodgers, was a 23-year-old prostitute and acquaintance of Harnden. The two had been involved in an argument over a Rolex watch and the fact that Rodgers had exposed Harnden’s cooperation with the police in a previous double homicide case.
On the night of the killing, Harnden lured Rodgers into her car, telling her that Comanche was interested in engaging in kinky sex and wanted to tie them up. Rodgers, willingly, allowed Harnden to bind her hands together with zip ties while seated in the front passenger seat.
The Horrific Act
According to Comanche’s confession, he strangled Rodgers using an HDMI cord from the backseat, while Harnden used her bare hands around Rodgers’ neck. Comanche mentioned that fluid came out of Rodgers’ mouth, leading them to believe she was dead.
After taking her life, Comanche and Harnden disposed of Rodgers’ body in a ditch, covering it with rocks. The following morning, Comanche boarded the team bus headed for the airport.
The Arrest and Charges
Luckily, Las Vegas homicide detectives were able to track down Comanche in Stockton, where he confessed to the killing and provided the location of Rodgers’ body. Both Comanche and Harnden have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Comanche appeared in a Sacramento County court and waived his extradition, granting Las Vegas police 30 days to transport him to Nevada.
A Troubled Past
Comanche, a 6-foot-10 center, had a promising basketball career, leading Beverly Hills High to its first CIF Southern Section championship in decades. However, he chose to forgo his college eligibility and declared for the NBA draft in 2017. Since then, he has had stints in the G League and even played for a professional team in Turkey.
Despite brief appearances with the Trail Blazers and the Kings, Comanche’s basketball career took a backseat to his alleged involvement in this heinous crime. As the investigation unfolds, the tragic details of this case continue to shock and disturb the sports community and beyond.