Jarvis Butts, who killed 13-year-old Detroit girl, found dead in prison

George Hunter, The Detroit News on Mar 26, 2026

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DETROIT — Jarvis Butts, who was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison two weeks ago following his second-degree murder conviction for killing and sexually assaulting 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, was found dead in prison Thursday after an apparent suicide, state corrections officials said.

Butt's body was discovered Thursday morning at the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson, Michigan Department of Corrections spokesperson Jenni Riehle said.

"MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful," Riehle said in a statement. "The Michigan State Police have been called to the facility to investigate; the death is currently being reported as a suicide."

Butts, 43, pleaded guilty in February to second-degree murder, the sexual assault of Na'Ziyah and the sexual assaults of five young girls ranging in age from 4 to 13. Butts was sentenced on March 12 to 35 to 60 years in prison.

As part of Butts' plea deal, he was to tell the truth about what happened to Na’Ziyah’s body. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement this month, "We are satisfied with the statement he has given,” although she did not disclose what happened to the victim's body.

Na'Ziyah was reported missing after she didn't return home from school on Jan. 9, 2024. Her body was never recovered.

Prosecutors said Butts allegedly got Na'Ziyah pregnant after sexually assaulting her and then killed her.

Butts was originally charged with first-degree murder, child sexually abusive commercial activity and two counts of sexual assault of Na'Ziyah, which were all dismissed in exchange for the plea to second-degree murder. Butts was dating Na'Ziyah's aunt at the time he started sexually assaulting her niece.

He also pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the sexual assaults of five girls, ages 4, 7, 8, 8 or 9 and 13.

Na'Ziyah, a seventh grader at the J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy, reportedly got off her school bus Jan. 9, 2024, near Cornwell Street and Three Mile Drive on Detroit's east side but never made it home.

Texts show that Na'Ziyah met up with Butts, who had children with Na'Ziyah's aunt, on Jan. 9 after school at Butts' auto repair shop in Detroit. Several people close to Butts saw them together.

Butts was seen the next day in the Rouge River area in Detroit, where the clothes Na'Ziyah was last seen wearing were found.

Na'Ziyah's father, Murvin Jennings, became ill and died after searching for his daughter in abandoned houses and overgrown fields.

Family friend and former Detroit Board of Police Commissioners vice president Tamara Liberty Smith said Butts' death means questions about the case will go unanswered.

"I feel like justice hasn't been served," Smith said.

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