A man stood in a Michigan court last Friday and entered a plea of not guilty regarding the rape and murder charges of a 13-year-old girl who went missing last year and was never found.
N’Ziyah Harris went missing in January 2024 after allegedly disclosing her pregnancy to Jarvis Butts, aged 41. Shortly after a judge determined there was sufficient evidence for a trial, Butts pleaded not guilty to first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and child sexually abusive activity, as reported by WWJ-TV.
READ: ‘Serial Child Rapist’ Who Killed Pregnant 13-Year-Old Also Gave Chlamydia to Girlfriend’s 4-Year-Old Daughter
Butts, who is related to one of Harris’ cousins, reportedly initiated inappropriate contact by sending her sexually explicit messages in 2022. Prosecutors claim Butts raped and impregnated Harris. Prior to Harris’ apparent murder, Butts was found to have searched online for information about abortions, abortion pills, and the ingestion of anti-freeze.
According to WWJ-TV, Harris was last seen getting off her school bus. Text messages suggested Butts told Harris he would pick her up from school the same day she was last seen alive.
Butts is charged with Harris’ murder even though her body was never found. However, Butts was traced to the Rouge River in Detroit a day after Harris’ disappearance. A single shoe belonging to Harris was reportedly discovered at the river. Additionally, a black hoodie found in the vicinity allegedly had both Harris and Butts’ blood on it.
Butts was convicted in 2005 of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. In that case, he admitted to having sex with a child and was sentenced to seven years. He is not only facing criminal charges for sexually abusing two other girls, but prosecutors said he assaulted an 8-year-old family member and transmitted chlamydia to his girlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter.
Reports indicated that Harris’ family contacted Child Protective Services about Butts before Harris’ disappearance as they believed he was having inappropriate contact with her and other children.
Prosecutors believe Butts killed Harris because he did not want Harris having his child while he was in custody for an unrelated gun case. Butts was expected to turn himself in the same day Harris vanished, but the date was pushed back to February 2024.
A conference hearing is scheduled for March 7.
[Feature Photo: Wayne County Prosecutor/Michigan Department of Corrections]
