Kada Scott: Remains of 23-Year-Old Philadelphia Woman Found in Wooded Area
The remains unearthed last weekend in a wooded area behind an abandoned middle school in Northwest Philadelphia have been positively identified as those of 23-year-old Kada Scott, a vibrant young woman who vanished nearly three weeks earlier after a late-night shift at her job.
Authorities announced Thursday, October 16, 2025, that Scott died from a single gunshot wound to the head, ruling her death a homicide and intensifying an investigation that has already led to murder charges against a 21-year-old suspect with a history of violence against women.
Scott, described by her family as a beacon of "light, kindness, and beautiful spirit," was last seen on the evening of Oct. 4, 2025, leaving her workplace at an assisted living facility in the Chestnut Hill section of the city. She had arrived for an overnight shift earlier that evening but appeared distressed during a series of phone calls and text exchanges with Keon King, a man from Dover, Delaware, whom investigators believe she knew.
Text Messages Indicate Kada Scott Was Distressed
Text messages recovered from her phone revealed a playful yet ominous tone, including Scott writing "kidnap me again" and King responding with plans to meet later that night.
A coworker overheard Scott on the phone, upset and using strong language, just before she clocked out around 10 p.m. and drove off in a dark-colored 2008 Hyundai Accent — a vehicle later determined to have been stolen the day before her disappearance.
Cellphone data and surveillance footage pieced together a chilling timeline: Scott and King's phones converged at the Awbury Recreational Center parking lot, adjacent to the now-vacant Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School on Boyer Street in East Germantown, around 10:24 p.m.
That's when Scott's phone signal abruptly ceased, and investigators believe she was killed just 20 minutes after leaving work. The following evening, Oct. 5, video from the rec center captured King arriving in a Toyota Camry he owned, accompanied by two unidentified individuals in a second vehicle.
Kada Scott Vanished After a Shift at Work
The group was seen lingering near the school's wooded perimeter before two people exited the Camry, walked toward the abandoned building, and later returned carrying what appeared to be a heavy object — consistent with a human body — which they transferred toward the burial site. The second vehicle then sped away with its headlights off.
Scott was officially reported missing the next day, sparking a frantic search that drew community vigils and tips to Philadelphia police.
On Oct. 7, the stolen Hyundai Accent was discovered ablaze in another part of the city, though it had already been compacted at a junkyard by the time investigators could seize it for evidence. King's phone records placed him at key locations tied to Scott's last movements, the vehicle fire, and the burial site.
On Oct. 9, a search of a home on Belmar Terrace linked to King uncovered latex gloves, contractor bags, a hammer, and 9mm ammunition — the same caliber as the bullet that killed Scott.
The breakthrough came on Saturday, Oct. 18, when an anonymous tip prompted officers to revisit the Ada Lewis school grounds — a site they had searched days earlier based on an initial lead but found nothing. This time, the more precise message urged them to "go back, she's there, look again."
Around 10 a.m., near the overgrown tree line off Boyer Street, they uncovered a shallow grave containing heavily decomposed human remains believed to belong to a woman. A rapid DNA test, comparing samples to those provided by Scott's parents, yielded a 99.9% match, confirmed publicly the following day by FOX 29 reporter Kelly Rule.
The medical examiner's office formalized the homicide ruling on Wednesday, with the cause of death specified as a gunshot wound the next day. King, who turned himself in on Oct. 14 amid mounting evidence, now faces a litany of charges including murder, robbery, theft by unlawful taking, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice, in addition to prior counts of kidnapping, stalking, arson, and conspiracy.
A judge denied bail during his arraignment, citing King's prior arrest earlier this year for the kidnapping and strangulation of another woman — charges that were dropped when the victim and a witness failed to appear in court. His next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10.
Prosecutors, led by District Attorney Larry Krasner, have expressed confidence in their case, bolstered by "extensive video evidence" and data linking King to the crime. They are also probing the roles of the two unidentified accomplices seen on surveillance, whom authorities believe assisted in disposing of Scott's body after the fact.
"This was a senseless act of violence against a young woman full of promise," Krasner said in a statement, vowing to pursue justice for Scott and her family, with whom his office remains in close contact.As news of the confirmation spread, a makeshift memorial grew at the school site, adorned with flowers, candles, and photos of Scott smiling brightly.
Her parents, speaking briefly to reporters on Monday, Oct. 20, shared their grief:
"Kada was our everything — her laugh could light up any room." Community leaders in East Mount Airy, where the school has long stood as a symbol of urban decay, called for increased patrols and resources to prevent similar tragedies. "This hits too close to home," said local activist Maria Gonzalez. "We need to protect our daughters."
The investigation remains active, with police urging anyone with information on the unidentified individuals or the case to come forward. Scott's death, the 18th homicide in Philadelphia this month, underscores a grim uptick in violence amid the city's ongoing challenges with gun crime and missing persons cases.
For now, a family mourns, a suspect awaits trial, and a neighborhood grapples with the shadow of loss in a place meant for play and learning.
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