PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Investigators say they have video evidence suggesting that two people may have been involved in moving and burying the body of 23-year-old Kada Scott as Philadelphia prosecutors are preparing murder charges against a suspect in her disappearance.
This undated photo released by the Philadelphia Police Department shows kidnapping suspect Keon King, who is charged in the disappearance of Kada Scott. King is also charged in the kidnapping of another woman earlier this year. (Philadelphia Police Department via AP)
Delaware resident Keon King, 21, is under arrest in the case. A newly released police affidavit filed this week to support arson and conspiracy charges against King in Scott’s disappearance includes a city detective writing that one of Scott’s coworkers reported seeing her upset outside their workplace at about 10 p.m. on Oct. 4, the night she disappeared. The coworker reportedly heard Scott say, “I can’t believe you’re calling me,” before she walked toward a parked SUV.
Video footage from the area where Scott’s body was found showed two people getting out of a vehicle around 11:30 p.m. the night after Scott disappeared. Around 4 a.m., they are shown removing “a heavy object, consistent with a human body” out of the passenger’s side of a car and then carrying it “in the general direction” of where Scott’s body was recovered from a shallow grave nearly two weeks later, according to the police affidavit.
MORE | Police: Remains found in Philadelphia are missing woman Kada Scott
When an anonymous tip led police to search the area again, near an abandoned school, they found a spot with freshly disturbed earth. Scott’s remains were recovered and DNA was tested to confirm her identity.
After the medical examiner ruled Scott’s death a homicide, District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office announced late Wednesday it had approved charges against King of murder, robbery, theft, abuse of a corpse, gun offenses and conspiracy. King already faces charges of arson and kidnapping related to Scott’s disappearance.
This undated photo provided by the Philadelphia Police Department shows Kada Scott, 23, who has been missing since she stepped outside during her night shift at a nursing home on Oct. 4. (Philadelphia Police Department via AP)
A phone message seeking comment was left Thursday for King’s defense lawyer, Shaka Johnson.
Police also obtained texts between Scott and a person they believe was King over the week before Scott disappeared, saying King identified himself as Kel. At about 10 a.m. the morning Scott disappeared, she texted that number to say “kidnap me again,” the detective wrote. “Kel” responded “better be up too.”
King, of Dover, Delaware, has been in jail with bail set at $2.5 million bond for kidnapping, stalking and other offenses.
He was arrested earlier this year in another case, but posted $200,000 bail and was released. In that case King was accused of kidnapping a woman from in front of her house and forcing her into a car where she was assaulted and eventually let go. Charges were dropped after the victim and a witness did not appear for court proceedings.
Scott’s parents have described their daughter as exhibiting “light, kindness and beautiful spirit.”
