Copyright NBC News
The death of 23-year-old Kada Scott has been ruled a homicide, prompting Philadelphia prosecutors to approve a murder charge Wednesday against the man arrested in her case. In addition to murder, District Attorney Larry Krasner's office approved additional charges against Keon King, the 21-year-old who was charged during the search for Scott. The additional charges include robbery, theft, violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and possessing an instrument of crime. An attorney for King did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours Wednesday. Scott’s body was found roughly two weeks after her Oct. 4 disappearance. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released her cause of death. Scott was a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and worked at an assisted living facility. According to her father, Scott returned home from an evening with friends on Oct. 4 and borrowed her mother's car to go to her overnight shift. She was scheduled from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., but her coworkers told the family Scott left early that night. Her father told NBC News that they were told she left at 10:30 p.m. Scott didn't return home in the morning and calls to her cellphone went straight to voicemail, he said. Friends and family told police that unknown individuals had been harassing Scott on her phone prior to her disappearance. Police said at the time that they were looking into the matter, hoping it might lead them in the right direction. It's unclear how King and Scott knew each other, but officials said that evidence obtained through cellphone data showed the two were in communication prior to her disappearance. Officials also said that King met Scott at her workplace shortly before she went missing. Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski said Monday that both video footage and cellphone data indicate King was present at relevant locations in the case. Scott's body was found Saturday in a wooded area near an abandoned middle school after a caller provided what police described as a very specific tip. Authorities had discovered what are believed to be Scott's personal belongings at the same location just days prior. Video evidence was recovered from a recreation center "directly" next to the school, Toczylowski said. She added that there was "extensive" footage that investigators were looking through. Prosecutors said Monday that they believe King used a stolen 2008 Hyundai Accent to transport King to where her body was eventually found. Toczylowski added that this car was seen on the video evidence from the recreation center. The Accent was set on fire and later taken to a junkyard, where it was recovered by authorities, according to Toczylowski. Authorities also found a gold Toyota Camry that they said was seen at the recreation center and believe it is involved in Scott's death as well. King turned himself in to authorities on Oct. 14 and was initially charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, stalking, criminal use of communication facility, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors filed additional charges of arson causing catastrophe, conspiracy, unauthorized use of an automobile, tampering with evidence, recklessly endangering another person and receipt of stolen property. King has not yet entered pleas regarding the charges, according to court records.
