Las Vegas tourist allegedly kidnapped and murdered by basketball player
A professional basketball player and his girlfriend are suspected of killing a 23-year-old woman whose body was found this month in Henderson, Nevada, authorities announced Sunday.
Basketball player Chance Comanche (27) and his girlfriend Sakari Harnden (19) will be charged with murder, Las Vegas television station KLAS reports.
Comanche played for the NBA G League team the Stockton Kings until he was released by the organization after police turned him down.
Body found in desert
The victim, Marayna Rodgers, 23, was initially reported missing on Dec. 7. Rogers, a medical assistant in Washington state, was visiting Las Vegas with friends.
She was last seen alive on December 6, when she was seen getting into a car with Harden.
Police later found her body in the desert. The Clark County Coroner's Office confirmed her identity.
Officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) suspect foul play in her disappearance. LVMPD has not released details of the investigation, but officials said there was a "murderous conspiracy" in her kidnapping and murder.
Estimated delivery
The California FBI Criminal Investigation Team arrested Comanche on Friday. He was being held at the Sacramento County Jail in California and was initially charged with kidnapping, KLAS reported. No bond has been set.
Comanche is scheduled to appear in court in California on Tuesday. He was in Las Vegas earlier this month when the Kings faced G League rival Ignites on Dec. 5 at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.
A request is being made to have him extradited to Nevada to face trial.
Harden was initially charged Wednesday with first-degree kidnapping. She was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where she has been since Sunday. Her bail was set at $500,000 Thursday.
Harden is considered a friend of Rogers.
Harden was also charged with theft in a separate case for allegedly stealing a Rolex watch.
Comanche’s Basketball Career
Comanche spent two seasons as a 6-foot-10 center with the Kings, according to the New York Post .
He previously played basketball at the University of Arizona, where he played in 60 games. He previously played basketball at Beverly Hills High School in California.
The Kings had no comment on the Comanche arrest.
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Source: www.casino.org
