A Michigan man has been arrested for allegedly raping and killing a 13-year-old missing teenager after she became pregnant.
According to PEOPLE, Jarvis Butts, 41, was arrested on charges of first-degree premeditated murder, criminal sexual conduct in the second-degree, and child sexually abusive material in connection to the death and disappearance of Na’Ziyah Harris, 13.
Butts was also charged with more counts of criminal sex conduct on two more girls in separate cases, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said.
"Mr. Butts targeted and befriended women to have sexual relationships with their young daughters," Worthy said. "He would have relationships with their mothers, but his true desire was to have sex with their young daughters. That’s what the evidence will show.
“He was a classic and expert groomer and pedophile,” she continued. "It’s incredibly sad and incredibly unspeakable, and we want to bring justice to her and her family."
Harris was reported missing in January after she failed to return home from school. According to Worthy, text messages reveal that Harris met up with Butts on the day of her disappearance.
“We have evidence that at 9:30 p.m. on that day that Mr. Butts checked into a motel and Na’Ziyah was never seen or heard from again," Worthy said.
Butts shares children with Harris' aunt, according to the prosecutor's office. Butts and Harris started changing sexually explicit text messages in September 2022.
"In November 2023, the evidence shows that Butts knows that she is pregnant," the prosecution said. "His phone records show that he searches online about abortions, abortion pills, and drinking red anti-freeze."
Though Harris' remains haven't been found, "the evidence shows overwhelmingly in this case that she is deceased," Worthy said.
Butts is currently being held in Wayne County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
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