A Detroit man accused of grooming his teen niece instructed her to "erase" vulgar text messages the day she went missing.
Jarvis Butts, 42, was accused of grooming and sexually assaulting Na'Ziyah Harris, 13, starting when she was just 11 years old. The girl was last seen getting off school bus on Jan. 9, 2024. Her body has not been found but, according to police, there is "overwhelming" evidence proving Butts murdered Harris, ClickOnDetroit reported.
A preliminary court hearing recently revealed a disturbing exchange between the teen and her uncle on the date of her disappearance. Harris was reportedly five months pregnant at the time.
Sept. 27, 2022
Harris: Come on
Harris: You ok?
Harris: Where are we doing it at your choice
Butts: You tell me
Harris: Basement
Harris: You sure?
Harris: Or job
Butts: Can you suck my d--- please
Butts: And make sure you erase the messages
Harris: K that is what I planned to do
June 5, 2022
Butts: I'm at your house
Harris: Damn we were just there
Harris: You bet not be in my room
Harris: I need another phone
Harris: I miss you
Butts: I stole your panties
June 27, 2023
Butts: Are you naked yet
Harris: No I don't wanna get naked
Harris: Are you mad I didn't get naked
Butts: I used to you telling me no
Harris: Come on bae I'm sorry just not in the mood right now I'm sorry
Sept. 26, 2023
Harris: Bae you up???
Harris: ???
Harris: Yeah
Harris: My period haven't came at all
Harris: Hello you there???
Butts: What you mean
Harris: It have not came
Jan. 9 , 2024
Harris: Don't forget be there before 3 I will let you know when I'm leaving the school if you not there I will wait
Harris: Send OK if you see the message so I can delete your number
Butts: OK
During his preliminary hearing earlier this month, more than 20 witnesses, including experts, family members, and law enforcement officials, testified in court. The girl's aunt claimed she didn't suspect anything was happening between her niece and Butts.
Butts was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree criminal sexual conduct and child sexually abusive activity, CBS News reported, and will now go to trial.
"You are the monster in this whole thing. She did deserve love from her parents and everyone who was in her life. She was ignored. She was neglected, and you took complete advantage of that," the judge told Butts in her closing statement.
Prosecutors claimed the suspect has a history of getting close to women whose daughters he then sexually abuses.
He faces five additional felony charges, per ClickOnDetroit, for allegedly sexually abusing an 8-year-old relative and a girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter, who reportedly caught chlamydia as a result. Prosecutors labeled him a "serial child rapist."
The suspect was also convicted of sexual assault in 2005 and released from prison in 2014.
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