Man suspected in Na'Ziyah Harris disappearance sexually assaulted other minors, prosecutors say

Suspect behind Na'Ziyah Harris death charged in other cases

Jarvis Butts made his first appearance in court after the Wayne County Prosecutor charged him with criminal sexual conduct in three separate cases. That includes the disappearance of Na'Ziyah Harris, who prosecutors believe was murdered by Butts.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - This story contains graphic details of sexual assault involving minors. Viewer discretion is advised.

New details emerged in a horrifying case involving criminal sexual assault against minors when the 41-year-old suspect made his first appearance in court, standing mute and entering a plea of not guilty during his arraignment.

Jarvis Butts of Highland Park was remanded to prison on charges of murder and first-degree sexual assault in the case of the missing 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, as well as the assault of two other children stretching back to 2012.

Already serving a prison sentence on an unrelated weapons charge, Butts was named by the Wayne County prosecutor earlier this week as the lone assailant in the disappearance and suspected murder of Harris.

The horrifying details were a surprise to family members of Harris, already dealing with losing the girl when she was reported missing in January.

"It’s disgusting, it’s despicable. It's worse than I thought it was," said Jarnell Holland, a family member of Harris. "I've been trying to bring attention to him since 2022 and I did not realize it was this bad."

Holland spoke outside the 36th District Court on Friday afternoon following Butts' arraignment.

Jarvis Butts, 41, of HIghland Park in court for arraignment.

In addition to assaulting Harris, Butts is also charged in two other cases involving his own daughter and the daughter of an ex-girlfriend.

"She was 4 years old, and she was the daughter of one of Mr. Butt's girlfriends at the time, and we believe her to have contracted chlamydia," said Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Tina Ripley.

Investigators believe Butts began assaulting Harris in 2022, later impregnating her. They said he killed her to cover up the evidence. According to Ripley, he was scheduled to be sentenced on the weapons charge the day that Harris went missing, but the date was moved.

"Unbelievable, unbelievable," said Tamara Liberty Smith, who is working as a liason for the family. "I just want this case to move forward, Na'Ziyah receives the justice that she deserves, and any other victims who have been victimized by this maniac to come forward."

He's expected to be back in court in October.