Brutal Nevada Murder Linked to Prostitution

Posted on: December 21, 2023, 12:05h. 

Last updated on: December 28, 2023, 11:47h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Both a murdered woman and a suspect accused in her recent violent death were sex workers in Las Vegas, according to police reports.

Chance Comanche, at left, and Sakari Harnden
Chance Comanche, at left, and Sakari Harnden are facing murder charges. They allegedly killed a sex worker who was visiting Las Vegas. (Image: LVMPD)

The victim, Marayna Rodgers, 23, had left Washington State on December 1 to work as a prostitute in Las Vegas, a source told police, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.

But on December 6, things went wrong. Chance Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, another reputed sex worker, allegedly kidnapped and killed Rodgers.

Days later, her remains were found in a ditch located in the desert in Henderson, Nev. Her corpse was covered by rocks.

Posed as Trick

The incident began when Comanche posed as a “trick” and lured Rodgers away from some friends, according to police.

When they were in the back seat of a car parked in Henderson, Comanche allegedly strangled Rodgers with an HDMI cord, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Harnden, also in the car, allegedly choked her.

On December 5, just hours before the murder, Comanche texted Rodgers and gave her the impression he wanted to pay $1,000 for sex. He was supposedly in town to play a basketball game at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.

After the killing, Comanche left the M Resort in Henderson, where he stayed during his Nevada visit. Harnden had been at Comanche’s hotel room.

It was further revealed that Comanche had allegedly asked a friend to commit the murder in exchange for $3,000. That person declined to get involved.

On December 7, friends of Rodgers reported her missing, leading police to launch an investigation.

Harnden was arrested on December 13 in Las Vegas. The following day, Comanche was apprehended in California. He’s not challenging extradition to Nevada to face charges. Both are charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Harnden was arrested on an unrelated charge after allegedly stealing a Rolex watch.

Until his arrest, Comanche played for the NBA G-League Stockton Kings.

Sought Revenge

This week, it was also revealed that Harnden wanted revenge after becoming angry at Rodgers. Rodgers had told others that Harnden’s boyfriend, Iosua Sataua, who is a rapper called “EBK Lil Play,” was involved in a homicide, KLAS reported.

Sakari was upset at Marayna for telling other people that Sakari had implicated her boyfriend in the murder,” KLAS quoted a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) arrest report.

Sataua has since been arrested for a double murder in Stockton, Calif., in March in which she allegedly fatally shot two men, ages 29 and 24, according to CBS News. Charges are pending.