What Happened to Jarvis Butts? The Convicted Murderer and Child Abuser Is Dead
"MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful."
Published March 27 2026, 10:41 a.m. ET
Trigger warning: This article discusses child sexual assault and grooming.
The Detroit community is still trying to process the loss of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris. The teen, who was sexually groomed by 43-year-old Jarvis Butts, was pregnant at the time of her disappearance and murder. And while tensions have far from settled, with folks wanting answers from Na’Ziyah’s aunt, Shannon Harris, who was in a relationship with Jarvis, folks want to make sure that this situation never happens again.
As expected, Butts was convicted of his heinous crimes on March 12, 2026. And while his 35- to 60-year sentence hardly seems like justice with all of his crimes considered, the Detroit community felt a semblance of peace knowing that he would be behind bars. However, reports reveal that Butts has died in prison. So, what exactly happened? Here’s what we know.
What happened to Jarvis Butts?
According to The Detroit News, Butts has died. The outlet shares that the convicted murderer and sex offender’s body was discovered on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson, Mich.
Per the Department of Corrections spokesperson Jenni Riehle, it appears that no foul play was suspected. In fact, it looks like he died by suicide.
"MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful," Riehle said in a statement. "The Michigan State Police have been called to the facility to investigate; the death is currently being reported as a suicide."
As may be expected, reactions to his death have been mixed. “I feel like justice hasn’t been served,” family friend and former Detroit Board of Police Commissioners vice president Tamara Liberty Smith told the outlet.
Jarvis Butts pleaded guilty and accepted a plea deal to murder and multiple counts of sexual assault against minors.
The outlet shares that Butts was initially charged with first-degree murder, child sexually abusive commercial activity, and two counts of sexual assault of Na'Ziyah. However, since he entered a plea agreement, he was able to avoid those charges.
He pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the sexual assaults of five girls, with ages ranging from 4 to 13. Additionally, Butts pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree murder of Na’Ziyah.
One important part of the deal was for Butts to reveal where he had disposed of Na’Ziyah’s body. While he did share the location, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office told CBS News that the statement was not made public. However, given that Butts was seen at the Rouge River the day after Na’Ziyah’s disappearance, many people believe that her remains are somewhere in that region. Unfortunately, the teen’s remains have yet to be found.
The police were able to link Butts to the crime after text messages and cell-tower tracking showed that Butts was the last person to see Na’Ziyah. Additionally, several people reported seeing Butts and Na’Ziyah together after she got off her school bus on Jan. 9, 2024.
We’d like to give our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Na’Ziyah Harris.
Report online or in-person sexual abuse of a child or teen by calling the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visiting childhelp.org. Learn more about the warning signs of child abuse at RAINN.org.