Jarvis Butts dies in prison weeks after sentencing for killing Na'Ziyah Harris
Jarvis Butts (MDOC)
(FOX 2) - Jarvis Butts, the man convicted of killing Na'Ziyah Harris and sexually assaulting multiple girls, has died while behind bars.
The Michigan Department of Corrections confirmed that Butts died Thursday at the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson. MDOC officials said his death is being investigated by Michigan State Police as a suicide.
"MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful. The Michigan State Police have been called to the facility to investigate; the death is currently being reported as a suicide," officials said in a statement.
Butts was incarcerated after being sentenced to 35-60 years in prison two weeks ago.
The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the death of Harris, who was 13. He was also sentenced to five 10-15-year sentences for sexually assaulting children.
Jarvis Butts sentenced to 35-60 years for murder of Na'Ziyah Harris, sexual assault of multiple girls
Jarvis Butts, the man convicted of murdering Detroit teen Na'Ziyah Harris, learned his sentence Thursday.
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Harris was last seen getting off a bus in Detroit in January 2024. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said text messages show that she met up with Butts the day she disappeared.
The prosecutor said evidence also showed that Butts, who knew Harris's family members, allegedly groomed the girl starting in 2022. Harris was pregnant when she was killed, and Butts was allegedly the unborn child's father.
According to the prosecutor's office, Butts searched for abortions, abortion pills, and drinking red anti-freeze before Harris's death.
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Harris' body was never found, but as part of his plea, Butts was required to provide a statement about the location of her body.
"One of the most important aspects of the plea agreement was giving Na’Ziyah’s family some semblance of closure. The disclosure of the location of her body was crucial," Worthy said.
After Butts was charged with the murder of Harris, he was charged with varying degrees of sex crimes against five girls between the ages of 4 and 13. Those crimes happened before Harris' disappearance.
Butts also has a previous sex crime conviction for an assault against a child.
The Source: Information from the Michigan Department of Corrections and previous reporting was used in this report.