Jarvis Butts, a 43-year-old inmate convicted in a child sexual assault and murder case, has been found dead in his prison cell in Jackson, Michigan.
The final video shows Butts during his sentencing, where he faced charges related to the sexual assault and killing of Na’Ziyah Harris, who was 13 at the time.
Butts was discovered dead at the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center according to the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). The MDOC spokesperson is currently reporting that Butts died by suicide.
Read more: Jarvis Butts death row: Explicit Na’Ziyah Harris text messages reveal details
Final courtroom appearance before death
On February 12, Jarvis Butts pled guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Na’Ziyah Harris. He was serving a 35 to 60-year jail sentence in the case when he was discovered dead.
Butts was also sentenced to consecutive prison terms of 10 to 15 years on five counts of criminal sexual conduct involving females aged four to 13, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Butts is shown in court wearing a jail jumpsuit and mask, sitting behind his prosecutor with his head down. His wrists and legs were in cuffs. During the hearing, Butts’ victims addressed the impact he had on their lives.
The video shows Harris’s grandmother and aunt as witnesses at the witness box, as well as other victims of Butts giving “powerful impact statements” per Detroit Local 4.
Butts was seen silent in the clip during the hearing of the witnesses’ accounts. According to Detroit Local 4, Butts also remained silent even when he was given a chance to speak at the end of the hearing.
Read more: ‘Where is Na’Ziyah’s body?’: Here’s what Jarvis Butts admitted before his death
Butts’ criminal history goes back to 1997
Butts had a history of targeting and befriending women, eventually preying on their daughters to groom them and sexually abusing them.
Harris had been reported missing since January 9, 2024. According to police, the teenager was last seen getting off a school bus on Detroit’s east side. Butts was accused in the case, but Harris’s body has yet to be found.
Harris was Butts’ relative in the way that he was father to her cousins. Authorities said Butts had been grooming Harris since 2022. Harris was pregnant at the time of her death, and prosecutors suspected Butts of being the father.
Before Harris’ death, investigators discovered unsettling web searches associated with Butts, including queries regarding abortions, abortion drugs, and antifreeze.
