Teen charged in disappearance, death faces judge

Las Vegas Review-Journal

11 months ago

Sakari Harnden appears in Las Vegas Justice Court for an initial appearance on Monday, Dec. 18, ... — Sakari Harnden appears in Las Vegas Justice Court for an initial appearance on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. She is facing a murder charge in connection with a woman’s body found in Henderson. (Katelyn Newberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sakari Harnden (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

Arizona center Chance Comanche (21) dunks against UCLA during the Pac-12 Conference basketball tournament semifinals at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Friday, March 10, 2017. Arizona defeated UCLA 86-75. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Katelyn Newberg Las Vegas Review-Journal Sakari Harnden appears in Las Vegas Justice Court for an initial appearance on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. She is facing a murder charge in connection with a woman’s body found in Henderson.

FILE – Sacramento Kings center Chance Comanche poses during the NBA basketball team’s media day in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Authorities have arrested a player on the Sacramento Kings’ G League affiliate and his girlfriend in the killing of a woman whose remains were found outside of Las Vegas earlier this month. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police announced Sunday, Dec. 17, that Chance Comanche, a 27-year-old power forward and center on the Stockton Kings, and 19-year-old Sakari Harnden will be charged with murder and kidnapping in the killing of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers.(AP Photo/José Luis Villegas, File)

A 19-year-old Las Vegas woman faced a judge Monday on a murder charge in connection with the disappearance of a woman whose remains were found in Henderson.

Sakari Harnden, who was charged after authorities said Marayna Rodgers’ remains were found in a desert area, made her initial appearance in Justice Court. Attorneys did not address Harnden’s bail on Monday, but Justice of the Peace Cynthia Cruz said arguments about Harnden’s custody status could be made at a later hearing.

The judge ordered Harnden back in court on Wednesday.

Harnden’s 27-year-old boyfriend, Chance Comanche, a former professional basketball player, also was arrested in Rodgers’ death, police said.

Authorities believe that Harnden and Comanche are “responsible for the murder of Rodgers,” police said in a news release.

According to social media posts shared by what appeared to be Rodgers’ friends, Rodgers was 23.

Harnden was initially arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas on a kidnapping charge.

Comanche was arrested Friday in Sacramento, California, by the FBI’s Criminal Apprehension Team. His extradition to Nevada on a kidnapping charge is pending. A court hearing for Comanche had not been scheduled in Las Vegas Justice Court as of Monday morning.

Two people walked into a Metro substation on Dec. 7 just after 3:30 p.m. to report Rodgers missing, the release said. Police didn’t say who those people were.

Detectives learned that Rodgers had been out with friends on Dec. 5 and had a pre-arranged meeting with Harnden, who was bringing her boyfriend, Comanche.

“Since then, Rodgers had not been seen or heard from,” police said in the release.

Comanche played one game for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers in April 2023, according to Basketball Reference.

Both Harnden and Comanche face a murder charge, and Comanche also faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, court records show.

It was unclear when exactly Rodgers’ remains were found, but police said they were recovered because of information obtained after the arrests of Harnden and Comanche.

Where specifically the remains were found also wasn’t clear.

No further details about the allegations against Harnden and Rodgers were immediately provided by police.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.