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Medical assistant seen smiling moments before NBA G Leaguer, prostitute girlfriend allegedly murdered her, haunting video shows
Marayna Rodgers is seen on Dec. 6 happily following one of her accused killers into and back out of a Las Vegan liquor store.
nypost.com
Medical assistant seen smiling moments before NBA G Leaguer, prostitute girlfriend allegedly murdered her, haunting video shows
By
Social Links for Katherine Donlevy
Published March 14, 2024
Updated March 15, 2024, 7:53 a.m. ET
Chilling new video captured the final moments of a smiling Washington medical assistant’s life before she was allegedly murdered by a former pro basketball player and his prostitute girlfriend.
Marayna Rodgers, 23, is seen on Dec. 6 happily following one of her accused killers into and back out of a Las Vegas liquor store, surveillance footage obtained by 8 New Now shows.
Rodgers, who moonlighted as a prostitute, was wearing a denim jacket and white pants for what she thought was going to be a double date set up by 19-year-old Sakari Harnden, where the pair would sell sex, according to police.
5 Surveillance footage outside a Las Vegas liquor store captured Marayna Rodgers’ final moments. 8newsnow
Instead, Harnden’s boyfriend Chance Comanche — who was waiting in the car — allegedly wrapped a cord around Rodgers’ neck and strangled her.
The 27-year-old — who played for the Stockton Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings — and Harnden were seen hours later on another security camera at a local grocery store.
Harnden was wearing the same clothes she had on while visiting the liquor store with Rodgers.
The deadly duo had returned from dumping Rodgers’ body in a ditch on the side of a road in Henderson, Nevada, before covering the body with rocks, police allege.
Comanche and Harnden face charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree kidnapping with the use of a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
5 Rodgers was following Sakari Harnden, who promised a double date where they would sell sex. KSNV
The couple allegedly decided to kill the medical assistant after Harnden and Rodgers, who both worked as prostitutes in the Vegas area, argued over a Rolex on Dec. 1, during which Rodgers threatened to “smoke” Harnden if she didn’t give her the watch.
Rodgers had traveled to Sin City from Lakewood, Wash., with a friend earlier that day with the “intent to engage in prostitution.”
Harnden and Rodgers got into a second fight on Dec. 4, after she allegedly implicated Rodgers’ boyfriend in a double murder in California, which led to the man’s arrest.
5 Rodgers was in Las Vegas with a friend with the “intent to engage in prostitution.” Facebook
Comanche and Harnden first tried to hire a hitman for $3,000, before taking matters into their own hands, police records indicate.
Harnden allegedly promised Rodgers a double date with a “trick” that night who was in “kinky sex” and wanted both girls to be tied up.
After purchasing alcohol, the trio drove to a cul-de-sac near the former house of Comanche’s friend, where they had originally planned to commit the murder, and tied Rodgers up.
5 Harnden and Comanche allegedly killed Rodgers by strangling her to death. KSNV
Comanche — who was in Vegas for a game at the Dollar Loan Center the following night — allegedly confessed to using an HDMI cord to choke Rodgers while Harnden pressed her hands on the defenseless woman’s neck.
After dumping her body, the couple allegedly smashed Rodgers’ phone and drove back to the team hotel, where they stayed until Comanche left with the team around 8:50 a.m. to play a game later in the day.
Detectives found Rodgers’ body in the ditch on Dec. 15, after Comanche pointed to the location on a map during his interview
5 Comanche had been in Las Vegas to play with the Stockton Kings, an NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. Getty Images
Harnden was arrested on Dec. 13, and charged with felony first-degree kidnapping and felony theft, for allegedly stealing a Rolex valued at between $5,000 and $25,000, according to court records.
FBI agents and the Sacramento County police arrested Comanche on a first-degree kidnapping charge on Dec. 15.
Prosecutors plan on taking the case to their Death Penalty Review Committee.