A man who was already in custody on charges of sexual assault has now also been accused of murder in connection with the disappearance of a 13-year-old Detroit girl named Na’Ziyah Harris, who vanished after leaving school in January. Despite Na’Ziyah’s remains not being found yet, prosecutor Kym Worthy stated that the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that she is no longer alive.
Jarvis Butts, aged 41, allegedly committed the crime because Na’Ziyah was pregnant with his child, according to investigators. Worthy described Butts’ actions as predatory and vulture-like, mentioning that he manipulated and targeted Na’Ziyah with precision. Butts faces charges of murder and other offenses, and has been detained since April due to being unable to post a $250,000 bond in a separate case.
Authorities had been pursuing leads regarding Na’Ziyah for months, including searching a river in Detroit and a pond in a nearby suburb. Worthy revealed that a piece of her clothing was discovered, indicating a possible struggle. Na’Ziyah was acquainted with Butts as he had children with her aunt. Worthy disclosed that Butts initiated sending sexually explicit messages to the girl in 2022.
On the day Na’Ziyah went missing, she used her tablet to inform Butts that she would meet him after school, as per Worthy. The prosecutor spoke to the media, standing in front of a picture of a cheerful Na’Ziyah taken at school on that same day, highlighting the contrast of her demeanor before the tragic events unfolded.
Worthy expressed her sorrow, stating, “That will always be haunting because it was taken just a short time before the evidence shows that she was never seen or heard from again… Little did she know that she was really saying goodbye.”-These revelations shed light on the tragic fate of Na’Ziyah and underscore the heartbreaking consequences of predatory behavior.
