DETROIT (WWJ) — Testimony will continue Wednesday to determine whether the man charged in the presumed murder of 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris will stand trial.
Jarvis Butts of Detroit, a 42-year-old man prosecutors describe as a "serial rapist," is charged with murdering Harris — though her body has never been found — and child sexually abusive activity. He is also charged with the sexual assaults of two other underage girls in separate cases.
Harris was last seen one year ago this week after getting off a school bus on Detroit's east side. Following her disappearance, authorities conducted multiple unsuccessful searches for the teen throughout 2024 in Clinton Township, Ann Arbor and the Rouge River on the city's west side.
Prosecutors allege Butts — who knew Harris because he has a child with her aunt — met up with the teen on the day she went missing. Authorities say that Butts had groomed Harris and knew she was pregnant, with phone records revealing conversations between the two and searches online about abortions and drinking anti-freeze.
During his Tuesday's hearing, among those to testify was Detroit Police Sgt. Melanie O'Rourke, who said investigators were able to track the movement of Butts' cell phone the day after Harris' disappearance to an area of the Rouge River, near 7 Mile and Berg.
O'Rourke said that's where some of Harris' clothing was later recovered.
In an exchange with Prosecutor Matthew Makepeace, O'Rourke said cell phone records show Butts was in that area for about 20 minutes and there were "no calls, no texts," during that time.
Prosecutors say evidence shows that Butts allegedly began grooming the girl in 2022.
Also on Tuesday a woman who lives near 7 Mile and Evergreen testified she found Harris' school ID on the sidewalk near a bus stop in early March. She said she stepped over the ID for about two and a half weeks before finally deciding to pick it up.
She recognized the teen's name on the ID because she had heard about her disappearance on the news, she testified. She told prosecutors she took the bus to a nearby gas station and put the ID on a lid to prevent any more fingerprints and called police.
Testimony concluded around 4 p.m. Tuesday. The preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Wednesday at 10 a.m.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest updates as they become available. >>> LISTEN LIVE!
