Authorities in Philadelphia say 23-year-old Kada Scott, a former Miss Pennsylvania USA contestant and Penn State graduate, was found dead two weeks after she sent a haunting text message to her alleged killer that read, “kidnap me again.”
Scott disappeared on October 4, 2025, just hours after exchanging messages with Keon King, 21, who is now charged with her murder.
According to investigators, Scott texted King around 10:07 a.m., and he replied, “Better be up too.” The pair made plans to meet later that night, but Scott never made it home.
The Night She Disappeared
Scott had been working an overnight shift at The Terrace at Chestnut Hill, an assisted living facility in Philadelphia, when she vanished. Surveillance footage and witness statements suggest she arrived at work around 10 p.m. but left about 20 minutes later.
A coworker told police Scott appeared “visibly upset” and was overheard saying during a phone call, “I can’t believe you’re calling me about this.” Moments later, she was seen walking toward a dark-colored vehicle in the parking lot.
Her final text to King — sent at 10:09 p.m. — read, “cm when u here.” Investigators say King called her more than a dozen times between 9:25 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. Her phone stopped transmitting signals around 10:24 p.m.
Police say cell phone data later placed Scott’s and King’s phones traveling together toward Ada H. H. Lewis Middle School in East Germantown shortly after she left work. Detectives believe Scott was killed within an hour of getting into King’s car.
Two weeks later, on October 18, police made a grim discovery. Acting on an anonymous tip, investigators found Scott’s body buried in a shallow grave behind the abandoned middle school.
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide, revealing she had been shot in the head.
Investigators now believe King may not have acted alone. Surveillance footage from a nearby recreation center captured King’s Toyota Camry arriving at the scene around 11:30 p.m. on October 5, with two people exiting the vehicle.
Around 4 a.m., the same cameras recorded two individuals removing “a heavy object consistent with a human body” from another vehicle and carrying it toward the area where Scott’s remains were later found.
Court documents also show that King allegedly stole a black 2008 Hyundai Accent the day before Scott’s disappearance. The car was later found burned, and King now faces arson charges for allegedly destroying evidence.
King’s criminal history is raising new questions about how he was free at the time of Scott’s death.
Earlier this year, in January 2025, King was arrested and charged with kidnapping and strangling another woman. Prosecutors said King forced the woman into a car, assaulted her, and later released her — all while his two-year-old daughter was in the back seat.
The case was dismissed in May when the victim and a witness failed to appear in court. King had been released on $200,000 bail prior to the dismissal.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has since said his office “could have done better,” suggesting the earlier victim may have been intimidated after King’s release.
A viral TikTok video from that incident shows King peering through windows while someone inside screams for help. Law enforcement sources also told The Philadelphia Inquirer that King was a suspect in a separate rape case involving a different woman.
The Relationship Between Kada and Keon
The exact nature of Scott and King’s relationship remains unclear. According to police, the two exchanged text messages days before her disappearance. On October 2, a number believed to belong to King texted Scott, “Yo Kada, this is my new number.” When she asked, “Who dis?” he responded, “Kel.”
Court documents show King frequently used aliases, including “Elliot” and “Kel.”
The meaning behind Scott’s text — “kidnap me again” — continues to puzzle investigators. Authorities have found no record of any prior kidnapping involving the two, though Scott had reportedly told friends she was being harassed by phone calls in the days leading up to her disappearance.
Current Charges and Ongoing Investigation
King was formally arraigned on October 24 and is now facing a long list of charges, including murder, robbery, theft, abuse of a corpse, arson, tampering with evidence, firearm offenses, and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
“This investigation is far from over,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel in a statement. “We continue to pursue anyone who helped, who concealed, who participated in this act.”
As of October 25, no additional arrests have been made.
Scott’s family describes her as a vibrant, compassionate young woman with big dreams.
“Kada embodied light, kindness, and a beautiful spirit,” her parents said. Her father, Kevin Scott, told reporters that his daughter “was just a normal 23-year-old girl” who loved fashion and dreamed of launching her own healthcare business.
A former cheerleader at Penn State, Scott had also created her own clothing line and competed in the Miss Pennsylvania USA pageant earlier this year.
Her tragic death has sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of Philadelphia’s justice system — particularly how a man with a prior kidnapping arrest was able to walk free.
For now, her family and community are focused on remembering the woman she was — and fighting for justice in her name.
