Kada Scott, a 23-year-old woman from Philadelphia, vanished after leaving her nursing home job on October 4, 2025. Nearly two weeks later, on October 18, investigators discovered her remains in a shallow grave in a wooded area behind the long-vacant Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School in East Germantown. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner determined she died from a gunshot wound to the head and formally ruled the death a homicide; records list her date of death as October 18, the day her body was
found.
Detectives pieced together a grim timeline from surveillance footage and digital evidence. Cameras captured two people moving what appeared to be a body from a vehicle near the abandoned school the night after Scott disappeared. Investigators also linked a burned black Hyundai Accent—believed to have been used to transport her—to the case, and phone data placed the suspect at key locations tied to the crime. In the days-long search, police combed nearby sites, including parkland and recreation areas, before the tip that led them back to the school grounds.
Authorities have arrested 21-year-old Keon King of Delaware. Initially taken into custody on kidnapping and related charges, he was later charged with murder after the medical examiner's findings. Prosecutors say he also faces counts including robbery, abuse of a corpse, theft, arson, and conspiracy; he was denied bail. Investigators believe a second person may have been involved based on the surveillance video, and they continue to pursue leads on a possible accomplice.
In the aftermath, family and neighbors gathered for vigils and memorials near the school, remembering Scott's warmth and ambition while demanding accountability and change. Community advocates and local leaders renewed calls to address the blighted property where her body was found, arguing that the neglected site had long posed dangers to the neighborhood. The grief that swept through her circle has become a public plea for justice, safety, and the swift resolution of any remaining questions about who helped carry out the crime.
