A Philadelphia man has been arrested and charged in connection with the abduction of 23-year-old Kada Scott, who remains missing, and faces another kidnapping charge in what police described as a pattern.
Keon King, 21, was arrested Tuesday and charged with kidnapping Scott, police said during a Wednesday morning press conference.
What to know about Kada Scott investigation
Shortly after Wednesday’s press conference, police said they received a tip leading them to an abandoned school, Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School in East Germantown. The school is about 2 miles away from the Awbury Arboretum, where police previously focused their investigation last week.
Police said they’ve found at least two pieces of personal property belonging to Scott at an abandoned school.
“This is some of the most concrete, physical evidence that we have found since Ms. Scott has gone missing,” Sgt. Eric Gripp said.
Hours after asking for the public’s help finding King’s gold 1999 Toyota Camry, police said they received another tip and found the car in a parking lot of the Gypsy Lane Condos in the city’s East Falls section just after 3 p.m.
Investigators believe that Scott might have been inside the 1999 Toyota Camry. Before he was charged, King allegedly got rid of his car, phone and other items he was using, police said.
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Philadelphia Police Department Lt. Tom Walsh said the 1999 Toyota Camry will now be towed to a police garage facility, where it will be searched after authorities obtain a search warrant. The car is heavily tinted, so it’s unclear what’s inside, Walsh said.
Walsh declined to discuss whether King had any ties to the Gypsy Lane Condos, where the car was located, but sources said King has family there.
“Again, we’re asking the public’s help,” Walsh said. “This is still a missing person’s case. Like the deputy commissioner mentioned earlier today, the homicide unit is getting involved because of our resources and our experience. We’re still asking the public’s help. If they know where Ms. Scott is, or they saw Ms. Scott, to give us a call.”
Amy Clayton, who lives at the Gypsy Lane Condos, said a neighbor called in the tip to police after noticing the 1999 Toyota Camry in the parking lot.
“At the end of the day, hoping that poor beautiful girl is OK — somehow,” she said.
Suspect in Kada Scott case charged in another kidnapping
King is also charged with kidnapping another woman earlier this year in a case the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office withdrew in May after a witness failed to show up in court. Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski said charges were refiled Tuesday.
Toczylowski said King allegedly kidnapped a woman in front of her house, threw her in a car, assaulted her and eventually let her out. Police have video evidence in connection with that case, Toczylowski said.
Scott was last seen by her family on Oct. 4, when she left for her overnight shift at The Terrace at Chestnut Hill.
Police said Scott arrived at work in her car and left before her shift ended. Scott didn’t leave work in her car, and her phone was off.
Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said Wednesday that Scott was at work for “maybe 20 minutes” before leaving. Vanore added police believe Scott and King were communicating, but don’t know their relationship or how long they knew each other.
Vanore said it appears Scott and King were communicating before she left work and then met up.
“Very shortly after that, she disappears off the footprint,” Vanore said.
King is believed to be the last person who had contact with Scott before her disappearance, officials said. Police wouldn’t comment about whether King is cooperating in the investigation.
“It’s very important to know we’re not done our investigation,” Vanore said. “We need to find Ms. Scott, figure out where she is, what may have happened to her to cause her to completely disappear.”
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