Missing Na'Ziyah Harris: Sister of the defendant, teen's family testify at preliminary hearing

(FOX 2) - The man suspected in the missing case of Na'Ziyah Harris, a 13-year-old from Detroit who disappeared in January 2024, is in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.

While Harris's body was never found, prosecutors have charged Jarvis Butts, 41, of Detroit, with murder and rape. 

Several witnesses testified, including family members, school workers, evidence technicians, and people who believed they had seen Na'Ziyah Harris on the last day before disappearing.

More testimony is expected on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. 

After lunch break: Prosecutor calls more witnesses

Derek Wolfe was the first witness to take the stand after court returned to session. He worked as a police officer at Detroit Public Schools at the time Na'Ziyah Harris went missing. 

He took a missing persons report on Jan. 10 after speaking to Na'Ziyah Harris's grandmother. He followed up with some students and canvassed some areas where the teenager would have gotten off the bus, as well as near the school.

Margaret Lovallo was called to the stand afterward. She previously worked as an evidence technician for the Detroit Police Department. She currently works for the Macomb County Medical Examiners Office.

She was tasked with helping the department at a scene found by officers near 7 Mile and Berg, just east of Telegraph Road.

She took photos and collected evidence during the search for Na'Ziyah Harris. That included a pink jumpsuit, red tennis shoes, and a pair of earphones found in a sweatshirt. 

The third witness after the lunch break was named TaLasha Moore. 

She was asked about different times Jarvis Butts was with a family member of hers. Both of the men worked at an auto shop. At the time, Moore's family member was with Butts and was working on Moore's mom's car.

She identified Na'Ziyah as being with Butts on Jan. 9. The two were together when the defendant was delivering the vehicle they were working on. 

Jarvis Butt's sister, Tijuana Butts, was called next. She spoke to police after believing she had seen Na'Ziyah the day she died. Tijuana was at her brother's auto shop on Jan. 9.

She left the auto shop around 6:30 p.m., telling prosecutors she observed "a little girl" getting in and out of a white Cadillac Escalade, believed to be Jarvis Butt's vehicle.

Tijuana also identified some of the clothes found by the evidence technician as similar to what Na'Ziyah was wearing on Jan. 9.

She also told the court she believed her brother was lying to her after asking about why the child was with him at the auto shop. 

Jarvis Butts' defense team pressed his sister on how she was able to pick out Na'Ziyah Harris as the child with him, and why she suspected him. She told them she had learned some information about was told to listen to a podcast about the missing teenager.

Another woman who had a child with Jarvis Butts was next called to the stand. She met the defendant in 2019 at a mechanic shop he worked at. 

She testified Jarvis Butts borrowed her car on Jan. 9. Prosecutors also asked her about glasses that were found in her car after that day, which her son had found. 

She was later shown photos of Na'Ziyah Harris, who had similar glasses.

Family and school witnesses testify Monday morning

The court went on lunch break around noon. 

Before that, the Wayne County Prosecutor called several witnesses to the stand during Monday's hearing. It's the second hearing in the case after Butts first appeared in court in November. 

Witnesses called to testify Monday morning include Na'Ziyah Harris's grandmother Anette Harris, who talked about Jarvis Butts' coming to her home and the day the teenager went missing.

Shannon Harris, who was the victim's aunt, also testified. She has five children with Butts and spoke about instances where the suspect would pick Na'Ziyah Harris and take her to his job at an auto shop.

The third witness was Marilyn Lee, a substitute teacher who taught at JE Clark Preparatory Academy, where Na'Ziyah Harris went to school. She taught the day Harris was last seen and testified not seeing the teenager the next day, despite regular visits during the week in school.

Missing Na'Ziyah Harris: Case background 

An investigation into Butts uncovered an inappropriate relationship with Na'Ziyah Harris, who was the niece of a woman that the defendant had a relationship with. Detroit Police found Butts had sent sexually explicit images to Na'Ziyah years before she disappeared.

Later on, evidence was uncovered that found Butts knew Na'Ziyah was pregnant. An analysis of his internet search history revealed he looked up abortions and drinking red anti-freeze, the prosecutor said.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy alleges Butts was in the Rouge River area the day after she disappeared, the same place that clothing that Na'Ziyah was seen wearing on the day she disappeared was found.

"The evidence in this case will clearly show that the defendant's alleged actions were beyond predatory. They were vulturous - he groomed and preyed upon Na'Ziyah with expertise," Worthy said in a press release at the time. "We will prove that he killed young Na'Ziyah after he found out she was pregnant at 13 with his child."

Timeline of when Na'Ziyah Harris went missing

Na'Ziyah Harris was last seen on Jan. 9.

The prosecutors say she rode the bus to school, wearing clear framed glasses, a white sweater with a black jacket over it, a colorful Rugrats puffy jacket, with a fur-lined hood, with light blue jeans and Nike shoes.

Data from a tablet issued by the district showed she was in school that day, including taking a picture of herself. 

The prosecutor alleges after school:

• She meets up with Butts and a co-worker and goes back to their auto repair shop on Connor in Detroit.
• Na'Ziyah is seen by Butts's sister at the shop.
• Butts, the co-worker, and Na'Ziyah were together in the co-worker's car when they went to Ypsilanti and then returned to the shop on Connor. Butts's phone places him at these locations.
• At 9:30 p.m. to 12:20 p.m. Butts checked in to a motel. There is a receipt confirming this as well as his phone placing him at that location