Former G League Player Arrested For The Murder And Kidnapping Of A 23-Year-Old

The full statement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department explains the case details, where the victim, Maryana Rodgers, went out to meet her friend on December 5. The friend was 19-year-old Sakari Harnden, who invited her 27-year-old boyfriend Chance Comanche. That was the last time Rodgers would be heard from, as a missing persons report was filed against her soon after her alleged kidnapping.

The Police Department suspected Chance and his girlfriend, and booked them for kidnapping earlier on Sunday, which led to Chance getting waived by the Kings. Rodgers' remains were found in the Vegas desert after Comanche and Harnden were arrested. The story is developing, but the police department is convinced Chance and Sakari are to blame for this situation.

Comanche had a promising basketball career that he's thrown away. After spending two seasons at the University of Arizona, Comanche went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft but found success at the G League Level. He even played in Turkey for a while before making his NBA debut last season for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was back in the G League this year, but his NBA career is over, with jail time almost inevitable.

What Happened To Maryana Rodgers?

It's unclear what Comanche and Harnden did to Rodgers on the night of December 6. Comanche had played a G League game against the G League Ignite, in Henderson, Nevada on December 5, the night before Rodgers went missing. The location was roughly 15 miles away from Las Vegas, where the alleged crime took place.

Comanche had left the city by December 7, as he was with the Kings for their game against the Rip City Remix in Portland, the G League affiliate of the only NBA team Comanche will ever play for. 

Nonetheless, his girlfriend Sakari Harnden was already being arrested for kidnapping with a then-$50,000 bail being placed. However, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Diana Sullivan, who set Harnden’s bail, will likely have to adjust Harnden's punishment after finding out that Rodgers was killed after her disappearance as well.

Rodgers' family had commented on the situation. and believed it was entirely out of character for her to leave her family as well as the dogs that she took with her to Las Vegas.

Comanche, a 6-foot-10 center who went undrafted out of the University of Arizona in the 2017 NBA Draft played one game for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2022-23 NBA season. He’s made 24 appearances for the Stockton Kings over the past two seasons, including 13 this year, averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.