A prosecutor announced plans Tuesday to consolidate separate cases involving murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy, allowing the joint trial of a former NBA G League player, Chance Comanche, and his ex-girlfriend.
They are accused in connection with the death of a woman whose body was discovered last month in southern Nevada.
During his initial court appearance, 27-year-old Chance Comanche, a Los Angeles native who previously played for the Stockton Kings, stood restrained and acknowledged the charges against him with a “Yes, ma’am” in response to the judge’s inquiries.
His defense attorney, Gary Guymon, opted not to seek bail immediately and refrained from commenting further after the brief court session. Guymon did indicate that Comanche plans to plead not guilty in the upcoming hearings.
Meanwhile, Comanche’s former girlfriend, Sakari Harnden, aged 19, is also in custody in Las Vegas awaiting a separate hearing on a theft charge related to the case involving Marayna Rodgers, a 23-year-old from Lynnwood, Washington, who went missing and was later found deceased.
Prosecutor Kennedy Holthus informed Judge Diana Sullivan that Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson aims to consolidate all charges against both Comanche and Harnden.
Consequently, Judge Sullivan ordered Comanche to remain incarcerated without bail and scheduled his next court appearance for Feb. 8. The tragic incident involved Marayna Rodgers, a medical assistant, who was reportedly strangled on Dec. 6. Her remains were subsequently discovered in a roadside ditch in suburban Henderson.
Following Comanche’s arrest on Dec. 15 in Sacramento, California, the 6-foot-10 power forward and center was released from the Stockton Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings.