Jarvis Butts is Sentenced in the Homicide of Na'Ziyah Harris
Published on March 12, 2026
This afternoon Judge Nicholas Hathaway, sentenced Defendant Jarvis Butts to 35 to 60 years for Second-Degree Murder for the murder 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris. He was also sentenced on five other criminal sexual conduct cases all to be served concurrently in the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC).
“One of the most important aspects of the plea agreement was giving Na’Ziyah’s family some semblance of closure. The disclosure of the location of her body was crucial. . As a condition of his plea to the Second-Degree Murder case, Jarvis Butts was required to give a truthful statement regarding the body of Na’Ziyah Harris. We are satisfied with the statement he has given,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Case 25-000218-01-FC - Na'Ziyah Harris, 13
Defendant was sentenced to Count One of Second-Degree Murder with a sentence agreement of 35 to 60 years in MDOC to run concurrent with his other cases. Counts 2, 3, and 4 were dismissed. He will not be eligible to apply for parole until he has served 35 years in MDOC. The statement made by the defendant about the location of Na’Ziyah’s body is not being released.
Case 24-002236-01-FH - A then 7-year-old female victim
Defendant was sentenced to Count One of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a sentence agreement of 10 years to 15 years in MDOC to run concurrently with his other cases. Counts 2, 3, and 4 were dismissed.
Case 24-006232-01-FC - A then 4-year-old female victim
Defendant was sentenced to Count Two of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a sentence agreement of 10 years to 15 years in MDOC to run concurrent with his other cases. Counts 1 and 3 were dismissed.
Case 25-000241-01-FC - A then 8 or 9-year-old female victim
Defendant pleaded guilty to Count Two of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a sentence agreement of 10 years to 15 years in MDOC to run concurrent with his other cases. Counts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were dismissed.
Case 25-004478-01-FH - A then 13-year-old female victim
Defendant pleaded guilty to Count One of Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a sentence agreement of 10 years to 15 years in MDOC to run concurrent with his other cases. Count 2 was dismissed.
Case 25-006461-01-FC - A then 8-year-old victim
Defendant pleaded guilty to Count Three of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a sentence agreement of 10 years to 15 years in MDOC to run concurrent with his other cases. Counts 1,2,4,5, and 6 were dismissed.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Makepeace and Tina Ripley.
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