Jarvis Butts pleads guilty in six cases, accepts 35–60 years for murder of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris

Jarvis Butts entered guilty pleas Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in six criminal cases tied to the disappearance and killing of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris and multiple child sexual assaults. He is set for sentencing on Wednesday, March 12, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET, under an agreement that includes 35 to 60 years for second-degree murder and concurrent terms for related sexual assault convictions.

Guilty pleas entered ahead of trial

Less than two weeks before jury selection was expected to begin, Butts, 42, resolved a slate of felony charges by pleading guilty during a pretrial hearing. The murder plea covers the killing of Harris, a Detroit teen who vanished in January 2024. In addition to second-degree murder, he admitted to multiple counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in separate cases. Some additional charges were dismissed as part of the agreement.

The move follows a series of court proceedings in which a judge previously ruled there was sufficient evidence to advance the murder and related counts to trial. With Thursday’s pleas, the case now moves directly to sentencing, where the negotiated terms would place Butts in state prison for decades.

Sentencing breakdown and concurrent terms

Under the deal placed on the record, Butts faces 35 to 60 years for second-degree murder. He also faces four separate terms of 10 to 15 years for second-degree criminal sexual conduct and an additional 10 to 15 years for third-degree criminal sexual conduct. All of the sentences are set to run concurrently across the six cases.

The concurrent structure means the longest term—35 to 60 years for murder—will control his time behind bars if the court accepts the agreement at the March 12 hearing. The courtroom session is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.

Background: Harris’ disappearance and unrecovered remains

Harris, a student who was 13 at the time she went missing, disappeared in January 2024 after what investigators detailed as months of contact with Butts. Despite an extensive search, her body has not been found. In the wake of the guilty plea to second-degree murder, investigators have been told he dumped her body, but recovery efforts have yet to locate it.

Butts was initially bound over for trial in early 2025, with prosecutors outlining a timeline that placed him in ongoing communication with the teen and in a position of control in the days surrounding her disappearance. The unresolved recovery of Harris’ remains remains a central point of anguish for her family and the broader community.

Pattern of abuse detailed in additional cases

Beyond the murder case, Butts admitted guilt in separate criminal sexual conduct cases involving minors, including a prosecution that involved assaults between 2021 and 2022 and an arraignment in September that centered on an 8-year-old female relative. Court appearances over the past year also surfaced allegations of assaults dating back more than a decade, painting a pattern of abuse that spanned multiple victims and time periods.

The pleas entered Thursday encompass those separate incidents, consolidating the criminal exposure into the six resolved cases. The agreement’s dismissal of remaining counts streamlines the path to sentencing but leaves in place substantial prison time.

Evidence previewed in court and what comes next

During earlier hearings, jurors were poised to hear about evidence that included a review of Butts’ Google history. In testimony previewed in court, an officer described searches in December for abortion medications and ways to terminate a pregnancy. Prosecutors had positioned those digital records as part of the broader narrative surrounding the teen’s disappearance and death.

With the guilty pleas now entered, the March 12 sentencing will determine the final contours of punishment, including whether the judge adopts the negotiated terms in full. Victim impact statements and final arguments on sentencing are expected to be heard at the 12 p.m. ET proceeding. If the court accepts the agreement, Butts will begin serving concurrent terms led by the 35-to-60-year murder sentence.

Sources consulted: FOX 2 Detroit, WDIV, CBS News