Jarvis Butts pleads guilty to murder and sexual assault charges
Jarvis Butts is accused of the sexual assault and murder of 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, who disappeared on January 9, 2024. Her body has not been found. Butts also faces separate charges for the sexual abuse of an 8-year-old relative and a 12-year-old in 2013. He has a history of sex offenses, including a prior prison sentence for sexually assaulting a child in 2004. Butts' trial for the murder of Na'Ziyah Harris is scheduled for February 23, 2026. He is also facing trial for the separate child sexual abuse case. The current status is that legal proceedings are ongoing, with a final pretrial date set for January 23, 2026, for the murder case.
Timeline
Want updates on this thread?
Track this story2026
2 updates
2026
2 updatesOn February 12, 2026, Jarvis Butts pleaded guilty in six cases, including the murder of Na'Ziyah Harris and multiple child sexual assault charges. He admitted to dumping Harris's body. The plea agreement includes a sentence of 35 to 60 years for second-degree murder and 10 to 15 years for criminal sexual conduct charges, to be served concurrently.
Jarvis Butts has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct. The plea agreement includes a sentence of 35 to 60 years for the murder charge and 10 to 15 years for the sexual conduct charges, to be served concurrently. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026.
2025
4 updates
2025
4 updatesJarvis Butts was scheduled to stand trial for a separate case involving the sexual abuse of an 8-year-old child that occurred in 2021 and 2022. Prosecutors also revealed that Butts faced charges for a sexual assault in Allen Park in 2013.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
A judge ruled that there was sufficient evidence to send Jarvis Butts to trial for the murder of Na'Ziyah Harris, stating that he 'intentionally killed her.' The preliminary hearing concluded after four days of testimony.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
Testimony continued in the preliminary hearing, with focus on phone location data and communication records related to the day of Na'Ziyah Harris's disappearance.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
Testimony began in the preliminary hearing for Jarvis Butts, with witnesses including his sister and individuals who identified Butts and his clothing.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
2024
4 updates
2024
4 updatesButts was bound over for trial in two separate cases involving the sexual abuse of children.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced charges against Jarvis Butts for the murder and rape of Na'Ziyah Harris. Evidence suggested Butts had groomed Harris since 2022 and that she was pregnant by him.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
Jarvis Butts was interviewed by police regarding text messages exchanged with Na'Ziyah Harris. He denied a physical relationship with her, despite the content of the messages.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
Na'Ziyah Harris, 13, was last seen getting off a school bus in Detroit. She was believed to have met up with Jarvis Butts after school. Harris was never seen again, and her disappearance was reported.
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
2022
1 update
2022
1 updateProsecutors allege that Jarvis Butts began exchanging sexually explicit messages with Na'Ziyah Harris, who was 12 years old at the time. These messages continued into 2023 and indicated a relationship between them, with Harris saving Butts' contact as 'Bae for life.'
via fox2detroit.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com·youtube.com
2024
Story began · 2 years, 2 mo ago