LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The woman accused, along with an NBA G League player, in the alleged kidnapping and murder of a Washington state woman who was visiting Las Vegas appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court Tuesday morning.
Sakari Harnden, 19, and her boyfriend, Chance Comanche, 27, are accused of kidnapping and murdering Marayna Rodgers, 23, who had traveled to Las Vegas from Washington state. Harnden was appearing in court on an unrelated theft charge.
According to the arrest report, Las Vegas Metropolitan police took Harnden into custody at the Henderson Hospital on Dec. 13. During that arrest, police found she had two Rolex watches in her belongings. One, worth around $15K, had been reported stolen out of Seattle. Washington.
When the judge asked if she planned to seek bail in the theft case, Harnden replied “Because of my other charges, there’s no reason to.”
Harnden is also facing open murder and kidnapping charges in the death of Rodgers. According to her arrest report, Harnden filed a missing persons report the same day of the alleged killing (Dec. 6). Police said she provided false information in that report.
After learning from other witnesses that Rodgers was last seen with Harnden, investigators made numerous attempts to talk with her but she refused to return phone calls. The report said police also learned the two had fought, days before the disappearance because Rodgers told people that Sakari implicated her boyfriend in a California murder case. Investigators believe this is what likely led to Rodger’s murder.
Police were able to locate Harnden in Henderson on Dec. 8 and she denied ever being in an argument with Rodgers. According to police documents, she said she and Rodgers had a planned prostitution date with Comanche, and following that date, Rodgers left in an Uber for another date and she had not been seen since. Police documents state there was no evidence to show an Uber was called or used by Rodgers in the early morning hours of Dec. 6
Police documents show Harnden attempted to mislead investigators. However, investigators uncovered text messages dating back to Dec. 1, that show Harnden and Comanche plotting the kidnapping and murder of Rodgers. The report said police also had cell phone tower evidence showing Harnden, Comanche, and Rodgers were together until 3:35 a.m. on Dec. 6 when Rodgers’ phone appeared to be deactivated.
The most damaging evidence though came from Comanche’s arrest report in which he described Harnden and his roles in kidnapping and killing Rodgers. He also provided police with a map of where her body could be found.
Comanche, who was arrested in California, is due to make an appearance in a Sacramento courtroom later Tuesday. He is expected to be extradited to Nevada.
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