The disappearance of a child usually leaves a community paralyzed with a mix of hope and sheer dread. In Detroit, that dread centered on the case of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris, a girl who seemingly vanished into thin air after getting off her school bus on January 9, 2024. But as the investigation unfolded, the focus shifted from a missing person search to a grim criminal prosecution. At the center of it all is Jarvis Butts Detroit MI, a man whose name has become synonymous with a case that has horrified the city and exposed deep failures in protective systems.
Who is Jarvis Butts?
Jarvis Ramon Butts wasn't a stranger to the Harris family. Not by a long shot. He was deeply embedded in their lives, having fathered children with Na’Ziyah’s biological aunt. To many, he was just "family." He co-owned an auto repair shop on East Warren Avenue, a place where witnesses later testified they saw Na’Ziyah frequently.
Honestly, the betrayal of trust here is what makes the stomach turn.
You’ve got a man who was supposed to be a protective figure using that access to groom a child. Prosecutors haven't minced words, calling him a "vulturous" predator. It wasn't just about one incident. According to court records, the abuse was a slow, calculated process that allegedly began as early as September 2022, when Na’Ziyah was barely 11 or 12 years old.
The Evidence That Changed Everything
For a long time, people hoped Na’Ziyah was just a runaway. Detroit police, the FBI, and even U.S. Marshals combed the city. They searched the Rouge River area near 7 Mile and Berg Road.
What did they find?
- An inside-out pink jumpsuit.
- A black jacket.
- A red and black shoe.
- A school ID that a neighbor had accidentally stepped over for weeks.
The clothing matched what Na’Ziyah wore the day she vanished. Worse, the gear showed signs of a struggle. While her body has never been recovered—a fact that complicates any murder trial—Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy moved forward with first-degree murder charges based on a mountain of digital and circumstantial evidence.
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The Digital Trail
If you want to know what someone is thinking, look at their search history. That's exactly what investigators did. Between December 2023 and the day she disappeared, Butts’ phone records reportedly showed a dark obsession. He knew Na’Ziyah was pregnant. He allegedly searched for:
- Abortion pills.
- Planned Parenthood locations.
- The effects of drinking red anti-freeze.
The timeline is chilling. On the very day he was supposed to turn himself in for an unrelated gun charge, January 9, 2024, he was instead with Na’Ziyah. Cell tower mapping placed his phone in the Rouge River area—the same spot where her torn clothes were eventually found.
A Pattern of Behavior
One of the most disturbing aspects of the Jarvis Butts Detroit MI case is that it isn't an isolated event. As the murder investigation ramped up, other victims began to emerge from the woodwork. This wasn't a one-time lapse in judgment; it appears to be a lifelong pattern.
In September 2025, new charges were filed against Butts. These weren't related to Na’Ziyah. Instead, they involved the alleged sexual assault of an eight-year-old relative back in 2021 and 2022. The location? That same auto repair shop on East Warren.
Think about that for a second.
While the community was searching for a missing girl, another case was building regarding a child even younger. Prosecutors eventually labeled him a "serial child rapist," noting a 2005 conviction and other allegations involving a girlfriend’s four-year-old daughter. The sheer volume of the discovery is massive: 506 GB of phone extractions and 111 GB of video.
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Why This Case Matters in 2026
We are now looking at a trial date. A jury trial for the murder of Na’Ziyah Harris is currently scheduled for February 23, 2026. This is a "no-body" murder trial, which is notoriously difficult to prosecute. Without a body, the defense often argues there is no proof a death even occurred.
But the prosecution is betting on the "overwhelming" circumstantial evidence. They have the texts. They have the DNA on the clothing. They have the search history about anti-freeze.
The case has also sparked a massive conversation about CPS (Children’s Protective Services). Relatives have claimed they filed multiple reports about Butts long before Na’Ziyah went missing. If those warnings had been heeded, would she still be here? It's the question that haunts her grandmother and the activists who keep her name alive on social media.
Navigating the Legal Landscape
If you are following the Jarvis Butts Detroit MI proceedings, it's important to understand where things stand legally.
- The Murder Case: Trial starts Feb 23, 2026. He faces life without parole.
- The Secondary Assault Cases: Multiple counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) involving different victims are being tried separately or as part of a larger evidentiary pattern.
- Current Status: Butts remains remanded to jail without bond.
The 36th District Court and the 3rd Circuit Court have been the stages for these hearings. Judge Aliyah Sabree, who handled the preliminary exam, was notably vocal about the "failure" of the community and systems to protect the child.
What You Can Do
Staying informed is the first step, but there are practical ways to engage with the safety of children in the Detroit area.
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Monitor Local Court Dockets
You can track the progress of the February 2026 trial through the Wayne County Third Circuit Court website. Public interest often ensures that these cases don't slip through the cracks of a busy legal system.
Support Missing Persons Organizations
Groups like the Black and Missing Foundation often highlight cases like Na’Ziyah’s which, statistics show, receive less media attention than cases involving white children. Supporting them helps keep the pressure on law enforcement to continue searching for remains.
Understand Mandatory Reporting
In Michigan, many professionals are mandatory reporters. If you ever suspect a child is being groomed or abused, don't assume someone else has called it in. The "failed warnings" in the Jarvis Butts case show that volume of reports matters.
The Jarvis Butts case is a dark chapter for Detroit, but the legal resolution in 2026 represents a chance for a semblance of justice for Na’Ziyah Harris. Whether the prosecution can secure a conviction without a body remains the biggest question mark hanging over the Wayne County courthouse.
Next Steps for Information:
Check the Wayne County Prosecutor’s official press release page for any last-minute delays in the February trial date. You can also view the Michigan Sex Offender Registry to see how prior convictions were documented before the 2024 disappearance.