Rumors

With Harris there to deliver the news, Harding's instinct was to get Comanche off the floor immediately, to protect him from turning an ankle and spoiling the opportunity that awaited. What Harding heard next still shakes her. He told her law enforcement officials were there to arrest Comanche. "My mind goes to: Did he get a DUI or hit-and-run or something? And they told me that he was arrested for kidnapping," she told ESPN. "I was shocked because, 'Not [Chance]. This is a joke, right?'"

ESPN

Four days later, Comanche faced an extradition hearing in Sacramento Superior Court and was shuttled to Las Vegas. There he was charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in the strangulation death of a 23-year-old woman, Marayna Rodgers. Comanche was with the team on a Vegas road trip in early December when the gruesome incident he was allegedly a part of occurred. Comanche pleaded not guilty in March and is expected to stand trial next year for his involvement in Rodgers' death. In the aftermath of Comanche's arrest, Harding wasn't just responsible for coaching basketball, but for trying to find meaning in something that suddenly seemed so trivial.

ESPN

Comanche's trial was set after he pleaded not guilty last Thursday. On the same day, his lawyer, Gary L. Guymon, told ESPN that the state decided that Comanche, who also was charged with kidnapping, will not face the possibility of the death penalty if he were to be found guilty at trial.

ESPN.com

A former professional basketball player will be back in a local courtroom next week. On Friday, a Clark County grand jury returned a murder indictment against 27-year-old Chance Comanche. Comanche was with the NBA G-League until his arrest in December. Prosecutors believe Comanche was planning a murder while he was in Las Vegas for a game.

news3lv.com

Comanche’s attorney declined to speak with reporters at the scene in Las Vegas, but told them Comanche plans to plead not guilty at future hearings, according to the Associated Press. Harnden’s attorney could not be reached.

Sacramento Bee

A series of text messages revealed that the two suspects initially attempted to have a third party kill the victim. Comanche first mentioned the plan and told Harnden he would “run it by him” on November 30. “I told my dawg the whole plan,” Comanche wrote to Harnden on December 2. That night another party, unnamed by police and only referred to as “Tre” in the report, asked Comanche what he specifically wanted done to the victim. According to the police report, Comanche replied with a coffin emoji.

Fox5Vegas

In an interview with detectives that day, he recounted more details of the plan and its ultimate execution, explaining that he had met Harnden through a dating app approximately a year and a half ago. He told police that the two dated and broke up but remained in contact with each other. He told police that Harnden had relayed some issues she was having with the victim, claiming that Rodgers was going to “smoke her” if she did not give her a Rolex watch. Comanche said that he and the other suspect then “began putting a plan together to lure Marayna away from her friends so they could kill her,” according to the report.

Fox5Vegas

He admitted that they were unable to get anyone to help with the murder, so they crafted their own plan, which included Comanche posing as a “trick” to schedule a meeting with the victim “under the direction” of Harnden. As part of the scheme, Comanche told Rodgers that he was into “kinky sex” and wanted to tie both women up in the car. Believing that she was earning $1,000 for the encounter, the victim consented, allowing Comanche to zip-tie her hands together. Harnden joined her in the front seat and also presented her hands to be bound.

Fox5Vegas

Jail records indicate Comanche’s felony arrest fell under a California penal code provision allowing for a peace officer to arrest a person “charged by a verified complaint ... with the commission of any crime in any other state.” It is unknown what charges Comanche faces in another state and it was unclear where in Sacramento County he was apprehended.

Sacramento Bee