Kada Scott's cause of death was a gunshot wound, officials say, after more charges filed against Keon King
Kada Scott, the woman found dead at an abandoned Philadelphia school after being reported missing, was killed by a gunshot wound to her head, a spokesperson for the city medical examiner's office confirmed Thursday.
The news comes a day after the office ruled the cause of Scott's death a homicide, leading to murder charges against Keon King, who was already charged with burning a vehicle that authorities said was used to transport Scott's body.
Scott's date of death is listed as Oct. 18, 2025.
New charges filed against King, 21, include murder, robbery, theft, tampering with evidence, abuse of corpse, obstruction of justice and related offenses. He was previously charged with kidnapping and arson, among other crimes.
A judge ruled King to be held in jail without bail during a hearing Thursday.
Scott's body was found in a shallow grave on Saturday at Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School in East Germantown.
In court records made public Wednesday morning for arson and conspiracy charges filed against King, investigators detail cellphone evidence that they say connects King's cellphone to areas linked to Scott's disappearance and where her body was found. The document also includes information on text messages exchanged between King and Scott right before she disappeared.
The records, obtained by CBS News Philadelphia, show Scott received a dozen calls on the night of Oct. 4 from a phone that traces back to King. The calls began at 9:25 p.m. and continued until 10:12 p.m., according to court documents. This is the same period police say Scott was arriving for work at a Chestnut Hill assisted living facility.
Scott, according to court papers, texts, "kidnap me again." King replied, "better be up too," followed by plans to meet later that night.
At the same time, a coworker sees an upset Scott with court records alleging she's overheard on the phone saying, "I can't believe you're calling me about this [expletive]," court documents show.
The last exchange happens at 10:09 p.m. with the words "cm when u here," or call me when you're here, according to court documents.
Scott is seen leaving work in a dark colored car described as the suspect vehicle, a 2008 Hyundai Accent. Sources previously told CBS News Philadelphia their investigation found that Scott was killed 20 minutes after she left work.
In court records, investigators say cellphone data shows Scott and King arrived together in Awbury Rec Center's parking lot next to Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School. Surveillance cameras picked up their arrival and showed the car backing into a parking spot.
At 10:24 p.m., Scott's cellphone stops transmitting a signal, court documents show. Scott was reported missing on Oct. 5.
On the night of Oct. 5, King and two other people are seen on surveillance video in the rec center parking lot in two different vehicles, according to court documents.
Investigators said two people exited one of the vehicles, a Toyota Camry owned by King, and walked toward the vacant middle school.
The second vehicle waited by the streetlights near the rec center.
Hours later, court records alleged the two people returned to the Camry and motioned toward the second vehicle — its driver turned on the vehicle's headlights and drove out of the parking lot.
The two people are then seen removing a heavy object consistent with a human body — and moving in a direction beyond the parking lot into the area where, investigators said, Scott's heavily decomposed remains were found in a shallow grave last Saturday.
Police say the Hyundai Accent was set on fire on Oct. 7.
On Oct. 9, police executed a search warrant at a home in the 5500 block of Belmar Terrace and found three phones, one tablet, contractor bags, latex gloves, a hammer and 9mm ammunition, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say they were able to piece together King's alleged involvement by tracking his cellphone as well as picking up his movements on surveillance cameras.
The day after the car was torched, police made an urgent plea to the public for help in finding Scott.
King declined a police interview after he turned himself in on Oct. 14, court documents show.
"Our office remains in continued communication with the parents and family of Kada Scott, keeping them informed of new developments in the investigation and prosecution of this case," the DA's office said in a statement announcing murder charges.
King is also facing another case the district attorney's office revived last week in which he's charged with the kidnapping and strangulation of a different woman in January.
King is due back in court Nov. 10.
A woman who answered the phone at the law offices of Shaka Johnson, who represents King, said he had no comment.