A tragic turn in a heartbreaking case has deepened the pain for a grieving family, as the man convicted in a young girl’s murder has died before revealing where her body is. Jarvis Butts, 43, was found unresponsive in a Michigan prison less than two weeks after being sentenced for the killing of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris. Authorities say his death is being investigated as a suicide.
Butts had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February and was sentenced on March 12 to 35 to 60 years in prison. Prosecutors stated that Na’Ziyah, who disappeared in January 2024 after getting off her school bus in Detroit, was believed to be pregnant with his child at the time. Her disappearance shocked the community, and despite extensive efforts, her body has never been found.
Investigators revealed that text messages placed Na’Ziyah with Butts on the day she vanished. As part of his plea agreement, he was expected to disclose the location of her remains—information her family desperately needed for closure. Now, with his death, that hope may be gone forever.
