Na'Ziyah Harris' family member reacts to death of man convicted of killing her
Jarvis Butts, a Detroit man convicted of murdering 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, was found dead in prison Thursday morning.
A spokesperson from the Michigan Department of Corrections told CBS News Detroit that Butts died by suicide, as Michigan State Police follow up with an investigation.
CBS News Detroit spoke to one of Na'Ziyah's strongest advocates to learn if any information regarding her death and disappearance died with her killer.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said that after Butts' sentencing, he submitted a truthful statement regarding Na'Ziyah's body, but that statement isn't being made public. Prosecutors did say the statement was crucial in bringing closure to some members of Na'Ziyah's family.
"Me, as well as other family members and members of the public, have been waiting for two years now to know where Na'Ziyah is," said Na'Ziyah's adult cousin, Roxy.
However, she says she's still waiting for those answers. She claims the only family members who saw Butts' statement are the ones Na'Ziyah lived with when she went missing.
The 13-year-old was last seen on Jan. 9, 2024, getting off her bus on Detroit's east side. Police conducted numerous searches but never found her body. Butts pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2026, to murdering her.
Butts' death comes two weeks after a judge sentenced him to up to 60 years in prison for murdering Na'Ziyah. He was also serving time for sex crimes against four other survivors.
"I did get to talk to one of the survivors today. She expressed to me that she can finally breathe after being suffocated for so many years," Roxy said.
She says she's working to create the Na'Ziyah Rapid Response Recovery Team to help get answers and advocate for families with similar cases.
The Detroit Police Department issued a statement saying it is still committed to searches in hopes of finding Na'Ziyah's body.
The Michigan Department of Corrections told CBS News Detroit that it couldn't say whether Butts had any cellmates during the ongoing investigation by the Michigan State Police.
