Days after her remains were found at a vacant elementary school, the medical examiner’s office has revealed the cause of death for Philadelphia woman, Kada Scott.
Thursday morning, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s office revealed that Scott died after being shot in the head.
“Kada Scott’s death was caused by gunshot wound of head. The manner of her death has been declared a homicide. Her date of death is listed as October 18, 2025,” the medical examiner’s office said in a statement.
This information comes just one day after Keon King was charged with her murder. Also, Scott’s remains were discovered on Oct. 18, 2025.
Officials initially said that investigators believed Scott was killed around 20 to 30 minutes after she disappeared from work on the night of Oct. 4, 2025.
‘Kidnap me again’
After King was charged with Scott’s death on Wednesday, court documents revealed that, before she died, Scott was contacted out of the blue by King, giving her his new cell phone number.
Two days after the initial brief exchange, police claim, Scott texted King the phrase: “kidnap me again” to which King replied, “better be up too.”
That evening, Scott was kidnapped, allegedly by King, from her workplace in Northeast Philly and, under an hour later, police believe, she was dead.
In the hours and days after her slaying, court documents claim King and at least one other person repeatedly visited the vacant Ada H. Lewis Middle School on the 6100 block of Ardleigh Street where Scott’s body was eventually discovered.
King has been charged with murder and other offenses in Scott’s death.
Timeline of Kada Scott’s disappearance and death
Court documents obtained by NBC10’s newsgathering partner KYW News Radio revealed a more detailed timeline on Scott’s disappearance as well as King’s alleged actions both before and after Scott’s death.
Oct. 2, 2025
On Oct. 2, 2025, Scott received a text that read, “Yo Kada this my new number,” according to the criminal complaint.
Scott then replied by asking, “Who dis.” The other person then identified himself as “Kel.” Investigators identified “Kel” as Keon King.
Oct. 3, 2025
On Oct. 3, 2025, around 11:30 p.m., Philadelphia police responded to 6600 Sprague Street for a vehicle theft in progress. A delivery driver told police they left a 2008 black Hyundai Accent hatchback running and unlocked when a man dressed in all black entered the vehicle and drove off northbound.
Oct. 4, 2025
On Oct. 4, 2025, at 10:07 a.m., Scott texted King, “kidnap me again” to which King replied, “better be up too,” according to the criminal complaint. The two then planned to meet later that night, according to investigators.
On Oct. 4, 2025, around 9:45 p.m., Scott left her family’s home along the 8300 block of Rodney Street in Philadelphia to head to her overnight shift at the Terrace at Chestnut Hill, a nursing home on the 400 block of East Abington Avenue.
A coworker at the nursing home told police they last saw Scott around 10 p.m. that night outside her workplace. According to the coworker, Scott appeared to be upset and was overheard saying, “I can’t believe you’re calling me about this s***.” Scott then walked toward a dark-colored SUV that was parked outside the job. The SUV left immediately after, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the criminal complaint, Scott and King then had one last text exchange at 10:09 p.m. that night which read, “cm when u here.”
The phone that King allegedly used was registered to another person, investigators said. Police say the cellphone data showed King and Scott were together in the area of 495 East Abington Avenue around 10:15 p.m. that night and traveling eastbound toward Mt. Pleasant Avenue.
Investigators said there was a total of 12 phone calls made from Scott’s phone between 9:25 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. that night. After 10:24 p.m., there was no more contact with her phone, according to the criminal complaint.
Surveillance video then showed a dark-colored vehicle pulling into the parking lot of the Awbury Recreation Center at 10:28 p.m. that night and backing into a parking spot near the playground, across the driveway from the vacant Ada H. Lewis Middle School on the 6100 block of Ardleigh Street. Police believe the vehicle was the stolen Hyundai Accent, according to the criminal complaint. A person was spotted in the surveillance video exiting the vehicle and walking through the playground towards the fence line between the rec center and the school.
Cellphone data also showed that King traveled to the Awbury Arboretum on 1 Awbury Road in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood around 11 p.m. that night before returning to the area of 5500 Belmar Terrace, according to investigators.
Oct. 5, 2025
The next day on Oct. 5, Scott’s family reported to police that she was missing after she never returned home from work.
Later that night, at 11:39 p.m., a vehicle pulled into the parking lot near the Awbury Recreation Center. That vehicle parked near what appeared to be King’s Toyota Camry, according to the criminal complaint. Surveillance video then showed two people exit the Camry. One of the individuals was on foot while the other appeared to be riding a motorized scooter or e-bike, investigators said. Both people then left out of the view of the surveillance camera while the vehicle remained parked at the location.
Oct. 6, 2025
The two individuals returned to the vehicle in the parking lot at 3:56 a.m. on Oct. 6, investigators said.
The two people then emerged from the playground and approached the area where the Toyota Camry had been parked, according to investigators. One of the individuals motioned towards the other vehicle parked in the area. The second vehicle then exited the parking lot. The two individuals then approached the Toyota Camry and removed a heavy object, consistent with a human body, from the passenger side, according to the criminal complaint.
They then carried the object towards the playground area, according to investigators. About a half hour later, around 4:25 a.m., two individuals approached the Toyota Camry and entered it for a short time before exiting and walking back into the playground area and out of view of the surveillance camera for about a minute and a half, investigators said.
Police said cellphone data showed that King also traveled from Belmar Terrace into Center City that day. They determined King was driving a 1999 Toyota Camry that was registered to him. King was scheduled to appear in court that day on an unrelated charge, officials said.
King also stopped in the area of the 2100 block of South 60th Street that night at 6:13 p.m., according to the criminal complaint.
Oct. 7, 2025
On Oct. 7, at 2:48 a.m., a person was spotted running from the playground area of the rec center and entering the driver’s seat of the Toyota Camry before driving off, investigators said. Shortly after, around 3 a.m. that morning, police responded to a report of a burned Hyundai Accent on the 2300 block of 7th Avenue. When they arrived, they discovered the car was no longer at the location but instead had been compacted at a nearby junkyard.
Through surveillance video from the rec center and cellphone data, officials determined King used the stolen vehicle to move Scott’s body and that he also set the car on fire.
Oct. 10, 2025
On Oct. 10, investigators searched through the Awbury Arboretum but didn’t find Scott. Surveillance video also showed King’s Toyota Camry arriving at the Gypsy Lane Condominiums on the 4000 block of Gypsy Lane around 3:00 p.m. that day. Police said King was spotted on video repeatedly exiting the car, accessing the trunk and leaving the car. Sources also told NBC10 King has family members who live at the complex.
Oct. 14, 2025
After police identified King as the suspect in Scott’s disappearance, he surrendered to police on Tuesday, Oct. 14. He was charged with kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, criminal use of communication facility, stalking, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with physical evidence.
King was placed in custody at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility where he is being held on $2.5 million bail.
Oct. 15, 2025
Police announced King’s arrest during a press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 15. They then released surveillance photos of King’s vehicle, the gold Toyota Camry. Police then responded to Ada H. Lewis Middle School later that day after receiving a tip. They recovered a cellphone case outside the school, according to sources.
Then later Wednesday afternoon, police received another tip and responded to the Gypsy Lane Condominiums. That’s where they found the Toyota Camry in the parking lot. Police towed the vehicle and searched through it but didn’t find Scott.
Oct. 17, 2025
Community members and Scott’s family members who had been searching for Scott since her disappearance said they found signs of a point of interest at the Ada H. Lewis Middle School, such as fresh dirt and a strange smell.
Then later on Friday around 10 p.m., police received a “very specific” anonymous tip regarding Scott’s whereabouts.
Oct. 18, 2025
Police returned to the Ada H. Lewis Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 18. They then found the body of an unidentified woman in a shallow grave in a wooded area near the school.
The body appeared to be around a week old or less, Deputy Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department John Stanford said at the time.
Oct. 19, 2025
On Sunday, Oct. 19, the human remains were identified as Scott by the medical examiner’s office using DNA evidence, sources confirmed with NBC10. That same day, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office approved new charges against King, including arson, causing catastrophe, conspiracy, unauthorized use of an automobile, tampering with evidence, recklessly endangering another person, and receiving stolen property.
Oct. 20, 2025
Officials announced the second set of charges against King. Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski also said Monday that other people may have been involved in Scott’s disappearance.
“At this point we did charge conspiracy, so we do have reason to believe that other people may have been involved after the fact, but who they are and level of involvement not going to comment at this time,” Toczylowski said.
Oct. 22, 2025
Officials announced that Scott’s death was ruled a homicide. They also announced that King is now charged with murder, robbery, theft, violation of the uniform firearms act, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with evidence, abuse of corpse, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
While King is in custody, officials are still asking the public for tips and for any other victims of King to come forward.
If you have any information on the death of Kada Scott or were victimized by King in the past, please call Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS or the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office at 215-686-8000.
Oct. 23, 2025
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner revealed that Scott died from a gunshot wound to the head.
What we know about Keon King
King had a criminal record prior to his alleged involvement in Scott’s kidnapping and murder. Investigators said King kidnapped and assaulted another victim earlier in the year.
Videos posted on social media showed a man – who investigators identified as King – hopping a fence and walking up to the window of a North Philadelphia home. The woman recording the video tells King to leave before telling another woman to call police, officials said. The video then shows King walking to the side of the home, peering into another window and trying to get inside, according to investigators.
The video was recorded earlier this year, about an hour before King allegedly kidnapped a woman, threw her in a car, assaulted her and then let her out of the vehicle. Investigators described that incident as “domestic” in nature. Toczylowski told NBC10 that King’s 2-year-old child was in the backseat of the car during the incident.
“Ultimately when the complaining witness and eyewitness on that case stepped out of the property later that day is when the kidnapping occurred and he grabbed the victim, put her in the car, drove away and assaulted her,” she said.
While King was charged for that incident, the case was withdrawn in May 2025 because the victim didn’t show up in court, officials said.
“In this specific case what I can tell you is that after the first listing when the victim failed to appear, the case was marked what is called ‘must be tried.’ Which is a little bit of a court lingo but basically saying if it’s not tried by the next listing, it’ll either be dismissed or withdrawn,” Toczylowski said during a press conference on Wednesday. “It was marked that way after the first listing when she didn’t appear in court. And then at the second listing, when again we didn’t have the witness or the victim in court, it was at that point withdrawn given the previous marking.”
The charges against King in connection to the earlier kidnapping were refiled on Tuesday, Oct. 14, following his arrest in Scott’s disappearance, officials said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner – who has faced criticism over the withdrawal of King’s earlier kidnapping case – placed the blame on the cash bail system. Krasner claimed his office had requested nearly $1 million bail for King for the initial kidnapping case.
“A million dollars minus one dollar bail and we did not get it. We don’t set bail. Judges do. The bail was set at $200,000,” Krasner said. “Why? Well probably because the commissioner who set the bail probably imagined that was enough to hold Keon King in custody. It wasn’t. Keon King had access to a lot of money and so he paid $20,000 bail almost immediately and was out of custody as a consequence of that, alright? This is the problem with cash bail.”
Krasner claimed that victims are less likely to appear in court if they know that a suspect is not in custody.
“That victim is more likely to walk in the door of the courthouse and testify if that victim knows that the defendant can’t walk out right behind her if he’s locked up,” he said. “Well, he wasn’t locked up here.”
Loved ones remember and honor Kada Scott
During Monday’s press conference, officials also shared the following statement from Scott’s family:
It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved daughter, Kada Scott.
We kindly ask for space and privacy at this time as we process the heartbreaking events of the past few weeks. Our hearts are shattered, yet we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from people across the nation and around the world.
Please continue to keep us in prayer as we navigate this unimaginable loss.
Our hearts are broken beyond measure. We are profoundly thankful to every person who shared Kada’s story, joined the search efforts, prayed with us, and stood by our family during this devastating time. Your compassion, love, and strength have carried us when we could not carry ourselves.
Kada was deeply loved. Her light, kindness and beautiful spirit will forever remain in our hearts.
We also wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mayor Cherelle Parker, the Philadelphia Police Department, all first responders, local volunteers, community organizations, and media outlets, as well as everyone who worked tirelessly to help find our daughter. Although the outcome is one no parent should ever have to face, we remain thankful for the unity, leadership, and love that surrounded us through it all.
As we continue to grieve, our family now seeks justice for Kada. We place our full trust in the Philadelphia Police Department and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to ensure that the truth is revealed and that those responsible are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Please honor Kada’s memory by showing kindness and care to one another – just as she did every day of her life.
With love, strength and gratitude,
The Family of Kada Scott
A candlelight vigil for Scott took place on Monday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m. at the vacant Ada H. Lewis Middle School, the same location where her body was found over the weekend.
Kada Scott’s cousin Iona Scott tells NBC10 she wants to make a difference. She saw what investigators called the unprecedented amount of attention on this case from the community.
“I truly believe we should come together as a community for any missing person or anything like that. We have to get back to policing and protecting our own communities,” Iona said. “It has definitely touched everyone, and I definitely appreciate everyone, cause it should not have to hit our backyard for us to act on it.”
She says her family is overwhelmed by all the love. Scott saw all the vigils and searches done by the neighborhood.
Philadelphia Councilmember Anthony Phillips, who represents the 9th District, also revealed during the press conference that his office is accepting donations for Scott’s father, mother and sister.
Those items include self-care items, toiletries, comfort and relaxation products, gift cards, and non-perishable food items.
Anyone who wishes to donate to the Scott family can drop items off at the Wadsworth Office on 1514 Wadsworth Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the following times:
- Tuesday, Oct. 21, through Friday, Oct. 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. through noon
Anyone with additional questions about donations can call the office of Councilmember Phillips at 215-686-3454.
Want more insights? Join Grow With Caliber - our career elevating newsletter and get our take on the future of work delivered weekly.
