MISS USA HOPEFUL KADA SCOTT MURDERED, SUSPECT ORDERED HELD FOR TRIAL

Summary

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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: MISS USA HOPEFUL KADA SCOTT MURDERED, SUSPECT ORDERED HELD FOR TRIAL

Release Date: June 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This harrowing episode centers on the kidnapping and murder of 23-year-old Kada Scott—a Penn State grad and Miss USA hopeful in Philadelphia. Host Nancy Grace covers the timeline of her disappearance, the subsequent search, the emotional discovery of her body, key evidence, and the latest on the suspect, Keon King, whose prior violence against women casts a chilling shadow over the case. The episode scrutinizes failures by the justice system, the hunt for accomplices, and the anguish of Kada’s family, while seeking justice for a woman described as "beautiful on the inside and the outside."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Timeline of Kada Scott’s Disappearance and Discovery

• Kada Scott vanished on October 4 after clocking in at her overnight shift at an upscale assisted living home in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia ([03:30–04:26]).
• Her gold Toyota Camry becomes the initial focus in the search ([04:26–05:45]).
• Tipster involvement: An anonymous, persistent tipster directs police multiple times to the abandoned Ada Lewis Middle School, where her body was eventually found in a shallow grave two weeks later ([22:00–25:26]).
  • “The tip was very specific. That led us back to this location here today.” – Police Investigator ([22:54])
  • “Go back, she’s there, look again.” – Philadelphia DA/Police ([23:06])
• Forensics at the grave: Police dig with their bare hands among maggots, confirming remains are Kada by DNA ([26:31–26:56]).

2. Details of the Crime & Evidence Uncovered

• CCTV footage and physical evidence tie Keon King to Kada Scott ([04:26–07:30]), including:
  • Surveillance of King's stalking behavior on another woman—his prior victim ([08:59–10:59], [39:19–40:44]).
  • King's rap sheet involving previous domestic violence and assaults, with cases dismissed for lack of witness testimony ([11:55–13:43], [40:44–42:39]).
  • Cell phone records and surveillance videos place King at the assisted living facility and the school where Scott’s body is found ([31:48], [35:56–36:53], [72:31]).
• Crucial forensic point: Maggots present on the body help establish postmortem interval; body’s decomposition affects ability to determine exact cause of death, yet asphyxiation (strangulation in the car) is likely ([38:23–40:44], [68:53–70:46]).
  • “Different species of insects…arrive at a decomposing body at varying time intervals”— Dr. Thomas Coyne ([38:23])
• Vehicle evidence: A stolen 2008 black Hyundai Accent is used in the crime and later found burned and compacted, destroying forensic evidence ([63:02–64:44], [65:36–66:10]).
  • “That vehicle was stolen October 3rd…then burned on October 7th.” – Philadelphia DA/Police ([65:36])
• **Surveillance at recreation center shows King entering with the Hyundai and staying for 30 hours with Scott’s body in the car ([31:48], [36:53], [66:35–68:10]).

3. Systemic Failures & Accountability

• Prosecutorial breakdown: Past cases against King for violence against women were dropped when victims failed to appear—despite clear video and pattern evidence ([42:39–45:15]).
  • “The DA, not the judge, failed…That’s why we have investigators. Go find her. That’s not hard.” – Nancy Grace ([43:47])
  • “Judges and district attorneys should be held accountable when they make mistakes. This should terrify any victim of domestic violence.” – Mark Tate, trial attorney ([45:15])
• Clean Slate laws and sealed records prevented public from early awareness of King’s past violent acts ([12:00]).
  • “Guy who has been stalking these young women, hiding behind the clean slate policy.” – Nancy Grace ([12:46])
• Low bail and missed warning signs: King was repeatedly released despite dangerous behavior.

4. Accomplice and Tipster Theories

• Evidence of accomplice: Use of multiple vehicles, surveillance video showing more than one person, and suspicions that someone who helped dispose of the body later turned tipster for the reward ([53:41–56:24]).
  • “Is there someone out there that actually thought it was a good idea to help murder Kada Scott…or dispose of her body?” – Nancy Grace ([53:03])
  • “There is no honor among thieves.” – Mark Tate ([56:24])
  • “It's very simple [to trace the tipster]. Law enforcement gets a subpoena to the ISP…they can do this rapidly.” – Brian Fitzgibbons, security expert ([58:57])
• Tipster identity dilemma: Possibly a guilty accomplice seeking the $10,000–$12,000 reward ([55:42–57:55]).

5. Family and Community Response

• Deep pain and determination:
  • “Our hearts are shattered. Today we’ll say her name. Tomorrow we’ll say her name. And forever, we will say her name.” – Philadelphia DA/Police, on behalf of Kada’s family ([22:29])
  • Photos shown in court were so devastating that family members had to leave the courtroom in tears ([51:00]).
• Foundation in Kada Scott’s name:
  • Created for scholarships and mentorship for positive, ambitious young women in Kada’s honor ([73:49]).
  • “To be honest, I’m not good. My daughter’s not here anymore. Missing her every day...” – Kevin Scott, Kada’s dad ([73:49])

6. Investigation, Forensics, and What’s Next

• Forensic uncertainties: Decomposition complicated cause of death, but evidence mounts, including surveillance, cell data, and tipster leads ([68:10–72:31]).
  • “Cell phone evidence places him at all of the pertinent locations.” – Joe Holden ([72:31])
• Trial prep:
  • Key evidence presented at hearing included King's phone calls to Kada, text messages, vehicle movements, and witness testimony ([31:48–33:46], [50:51–52:35]).
  • Charges so far: arson causing catastrophe, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment—but lingering questions on formal murder charges ([52:40–53:03], [61:27]).
  • “Where is the homicide charge? We have not seen it; we’ve only heard that they are working on bringing that case.” – Joe Holden ([54:34])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

— On Kada Scott’s Character

“Absolutely gorgeous, ordered hell for trial. Beautiful on the inside and the outside.”
—Nancy Grace ([03:30])

— The Chilling Video Evidence

“How would you like to see this at your back door? Window. Go away. Don’t come over here. Camera. Call the cops. She's telling, I think the children to call 911 because she knows what this guy will do.”
— Nancy Grace ([08:59])

“When my husband has been locked out and I go to let him in, I don’t run from the door. I don’t scream, call the cops. Because I’m not afraid. This woman is afraid. Don’t come over here, Cameron. Call the cops. She is telling, I think the children to call 911 because she knows what this guy will do. And that tells me…and I’m sure veteran defense attorney Derek Smith joining us is gonna disagree, but that tells me this is not the first time. Why is she so afraid?”
— Nancy Grace ([09:54])

— Challenging Justice System Failures

“The case is withdrawn by the district attorney’s office. And then fast forward to January where he is engaged in a similar criminal conduct, accused of kidnapping and strangling the same ex girlfriend.…They are admitting that they could have gone forward with a prosecution of this case without a witness to the crime. So right there they’re conceding that they made some mistakes, they should have done things differently.”
— Joe Holden ([40:44])

“This is a mistake that should terrify any victim of domestic violence. The fact that…victims of domestic violence don’t come to court. They frequently fail to prosecute their cases. It’s in the district attorney’s discretion how they go forward.”
— Mark Tate ([45:15])

— On the Emotional Toll on Law Enforcement

"It was a traumatic situation for many of them. Many of them went off the grid...due to the gravity of what they discovered."
— Joe Holden ([34:39])

— On the Macabre Logistics of the Crime

“We learned that yesterday from prosecutors…they go back, they find her in a shallow grave.”
— Joe Holden ([24:07])

“The area is a shallow grave holding the decomposing remains.”
— Health Expert ([25:36])

“You can collect the different insect species that are found and examine their larval stage…if you're able to characterize what stage of development the maggot is at, you may have a good idea of how long that body was perhaps present in the ground.”
— Dr. Thomas Coyne ([38:23])

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Timestamped Episode Structure

| Timestamp | Segment Details | |----------------|----------------| | 03:30 | Case of Kada Scott introduced; context of her being Miss USA hopeful | | 04:26–08:59| The search, recovery of car, CCTV/surveillance, prior attacks | | 09:13–12:46| Sickening stalking video, failure of prior prosecutions due to Clean Slate law | | 13:43–16:54| Pattern of violence, legal discussion, domestic violence context | | 22:00–25:26| Body discovery, specific anonymous tip, forensic search | | 26:03–28:42| Scene investigation, determining timeline - 20 minutes from abduction to death | | 31:48–36:53| Courtroom evidence: calls, texts, car activity, video surveillance at rec center | | 39:19–42:39| Detailed review of King’s criminal history; failures of courts and DA | | 51:00–53:03| Hearing recap, new charges, lack of formal murder charge | | 53:41–57:55| Accomplice and tipster theories, $10K reward, ethical and practical questions | | 58:57–59:18| Tracing the tipster: how law enforcement can identify anonymous sources | | 68:10–72:31| Forensic evidence, cell data, major investigative challenges | | 73:49 | Family’s ongoing grief, creation of Kada Scott Foundation |

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Takeaways and Tone

• Urgent, relentless, and emotional: Nancy Grace’s signature tone underscores the “bombshells” and demands for justice throughout.
• Righteous anger towards institutional failures is a consistent undercurrent, especially regarding the DA, courts, and laws that failed to keep a dangerous repeat offender off the streets.
• Emphasis on human cost: The episode repeatedly returns to the profound pain felt by Kada’s family, the impact on police, and the broader fear such systemic oversights generate.

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Final Reflection

Nancy Grace’s coverage of the Kada Scott case drives home the dangers women face, the importance of systemic accountability, and the need for tenacity in seeking justice. The episode is a sobering call for legal reform and a tribute to Kada Scott’s memory.

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If you or anyone you know has information on the case, contact the Philadelphia tip line: 215-686-8477.

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Transcript

[Nancy Grace]

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[Crime Stories Narrator]

A Miss USA hopeful, Kada Scott murdered tonight a suspect ordered held for trial. I'm Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. That's right, the prime suspect in the murder of a Miss USA hopeful is now ordered held for trial. And after a highly emotional hearing in a Philadelphia courtroom, the suspect Keon King charged in the murder of 23 year old Philly woman, absolutely gorgeous, ordered hell for trial. Before we get to the hearing, what happened to beautiful, beautiful on the inside and the outside Kada Scott.

[Nancy Grace]

Closed circuit TV reveals the beauty queen Kada suspect stalking his first victim. That is his first victim that we know of. As you know, the Penn State grad slash beauty queen has gone missing from her workplace where she worked at a ritzy living estate assisted home. You're gonna hear a lot tonight. The car has been found in the last hours. That gold Toyota Camry driven by suspect Keon King has been found. And the search leads us to an abandoned middle school, the ADA Lewis Middle School. Joining us live tonight, an investigative reporter on the story from the beginning, CBS's Joe Holt Holden. I'm Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories and I want to thank you for being with us. Where is Kada? You know she had the overnight shift. She just clocked in and then suddenly leaves. She had never done anything like that before. Where is Kaida? Guys? So much happening in the search for Kada Scott, the Miss USA hopeful who represented her area. Not only is she beauty, she's brains. Could she think her way out of this kidnapping? According to LE law enforcement, they say they believe she could still be alive and that is why tonight's broadcast is so important. Let me give you the tip line right now. It's 215686. Tips, tips. 215-686-8477. Look at her. Look at her. Is she still alive? Can we bring her home to her parents? Her dad now putting up a $10,000 reward in connection to evidence leading to her whereabouts. First of all, I hardly know where to start. Creeper surveillance video emerges of him stalking. We think his first victim could have been his fifth victim for all I know. But first, I want to tell you about the car. This has been the focus of the search of le law enforcement since she went missing. Let's take a look at the recovery of the car. As you know, guys, this is from our friends at 6, ABC Philly. In this, it looks a little silver. It's not. It's actually gold with heavily tinted windows. An anonymous tip leads police to this. It's a treasure trove of evidence. If law enforcement believing that Kada was in this cart, God forbid we find blood. I do not want to find blood. I'm happy to find fingerprints. I'm happy to find any other belongings of hers. I don't want to find her torn clothes or blood in that car. I want to quickly go to what we are learning about not only the car, but physical evidence. Guys, in addition to physical evidence that is mounting, we have obtained cctv, closed circuit tv. It looks like a ring. Camera of the defendant. We told you about a prior attack where he strangled another woman. Another woman who we've been told looks very similar to. To cada. That's what we call in the law, a similar transaction. And it can be admitted before a jury after a motion in limine, a hearing outside the jury presence if the judge rules your way. Because while he wouldn't be being tried for that, it can show motive, course of conduct, frame of mind. Now, how would you like to see this at your back door? Window. Take a look. Go away. Don't come over here. Camera. Call the cops. Is all these kids in here? Call the cops. He coming around the window.

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[Nancy Grace]

Cameron. Yeah. Go away. Bye. Go away. Bye. Yep. Bye.

[Joe Holden]

Bye.

[Nancy Grace]

Keanu here. That is from at S4LCC on tick tock. Just so you know, he did not go away. Keon King, that's him, goes to every door and every window of that female victim's home. I want to look at it on mute. Okay, Here he is. He jumped over the fence to get to her. He ain't coming to the front door with candy and roses. He's jumping the fence. And look, I don't want to see that out my window first thing in the morning. He's going door to door. And what breaks my heart is you hear the. Look at that.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

There's children.

[Nancy Grace]

There's toys. She has children in there. And she's saying, call the cops. Call the cops. Call the cops. She knows to be afraid. When my husband has been locked out and I go to let him in, I don't run from the door. I don't scream, call the cops. Because I'm not afraid. This woman is afraid. Don't come over here, Cameron. Call the cops. She is telling, I think the children to call 911 because she knows what this guy will do. And that tells me, and I'm sure veteran defense attorney Derek Smith joining us is gonna disagree, but that tells me this is not the first time. Why is she so afraid? Why is she afraid? DEREK Smith, I'm circle back to you guys. That is from 4 LCC on TikTok and I'm gonna give you a few moments to gather your thoughts because first I'm gonna go to Joe Holden. Joe Holden, chief investigative reporter and anchor, CBS News, Philly. Thank you for waiting, Joe, because I know you're dying to get back out into the field right now. Did you see the video?

[Joe Holden]

There's something so off about that video. In fact, we tracked down that house just yesterday on the streets in North Philadelphia. What is that stance? What is that body language? What is happening? His eyes come up to that window. And my colleagues in our newsroom are actually quite terrifying. We know a lot about his alleged prior bad acts at this point. He assaulted the same victim in this incident here. We believe this to be January. He assaulted the same woman in November. We were able to uncover traces of charges. Now those charges are hidden from view on our docket system. Something about clean slate business. But this happens in November.

[Nancy Grace]

Joe Holden, what did you just say about a clean slate?

[Joe Holden]

So we can't get at the charges that were leveled against this guy Keon King back in December of 2024 as well as an incident that happened in January of 2025. The case brought in April of 2025 gets this withdrawn, dismissed, however you want to Phra May of 2025. Guess why we can see these records now, Nancy? Because the district attorney's office has refiled the charges in light of their ongoing kidnapping. Prosecution now and search for Kada Scott. So it's like the toothpaste is getting squeezed back into the tube at this point, if that's even the right way to describe their actions. And the clean slate law has prohibited our ability to see some of the charges.

[Nancy Grace]

But because that is so wrong. That is so wrong. Guy who has been stalking these young women, hiding behind the clean slate policy. Guys, that video from @S4LCC on tick tock. And another thing, the woman, one of the women that he assaulted in the past has issued a comment on social media saying I hope they put you basically under the jail after all you've done, after all the pain, the hurt you've caused. I'm going to pull it up for you just a moment. But that tells me, well, don't show me Derek Smith yet. While Derek Smith is not going to like it that there are a lot of similar transactions that certainly putting perfume on the pig back there, there are other women out there that are rejoicing. He is behind bars for kidnapping Kada.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

Why?

[Nancy Grace]

Because he has got a history of violating, tormenting, stalking, torturing, scaring women. I will look at that video. Oh yeah, okay, not him. I want to look that video because I want to know what can it prove? What is the probative value? 1 a six foot fence is not going to stop him. He jumped right over like spider man and here he comes looking, you know, that's a good way to get shot right there. But he's not afraid. He knows who's inside. A woman and little children. So hey, go ahead and terrorize her. He's not worried. And you see the camera all jumpity because she's running to window to window saying go away, go away. And he's not leaving. I mean if somebody told me when I went to their front door go away, I would be gone. They'd see nothing but tail hole and elbows. I'm out. But nothing is stopping him. Not a fence, not a locked door, not a closed window. If Kayda Scott was in that car, what would he do to her? This from 4LCC on TikTok guys, I'm going to circle back to what this video means but I want to quickly go, you know what, let's keep running it to see what else we can learn. Did she actually go that window and lock it? Joining me right now is a longtime colleague and, dare I say friend, Cheryl McCollum. She is a forensic expert. She is the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research foundation and she is the star of a hit podcast series which I have often put on loop and listen to her zone seven. Cheryl McCollum, I will very quickly remind you of the first time I say that we met. It was when we were so happy that we could give domestic violence victims their own cell phone. I didn't even have a cell phone and they were about that big. They were huge. They were like a, a shoebox. And we were giving them out. The mayor at that time made a cameo appearance and we were giving them out in municipal court to domestic violence victims. That's when nobody even knew what domestic violence even was. That said, did you see this video? The reason I brought that story up is you and I have been fighting domestic violence for so long. This woman is locked in her home with her children and she's screaming to the children, call the police. Call the police. Because she knows a window and a door are not gonna stop him. A fence sure didn't. What about it McCollum? You already said it beautifully. This is a pattern. He is not deterred when he is spotted. He's not deterred when he sees children. He's not deterred when he knows the police are on the way. This is so frightening. There is zero chance that there's not more victims.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

After an extensive search that hit the headlines, covered repeatedly by crime stories, in the search for Kada and then for her killer, Kada's body was found. It was found two weeks after she went missing in a shallow grave behind the vacant Ada Lewis Middle School that's in Philly's Germantown. This is what happened.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved daughter, Kayda Scott. Our hearts are shattered. Today we'll say her name. Tomorrow we'll say her name. And forever, we will say her name.

[Nancy Grace]

Human remains found behind that abandoned middle school, the Ada Lewis Scott Middle School. Listen to what we've learned based on

[Police Investigator]

a tip that came in late last night through the night, investigators begin the process of following up on that tip. And the tip was very specific. That led us back to this location here today.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

We received a tip to go to the Ada Lewis Middle School. Investigators went, did a thorough search. Essentially, what the new tip was this weekend was go back. It was go back, she's there, look again. And they did give more specific details in terms of where to look. And ultimately that is what led us to her.

[Nancy Grace]

Wow, that's some tip that from our friends at ABC6 joining me right now on All Star panel. But first, I want to go to the chief investigative reporter and anchor at CBS News Philadelphia who has been investigating this case right along with the police from the very beginning, Joe Holden. Joe, that was some tip that actually called into police anonymously, told them where to look, and then when they didn't find anything the first time, called back and said, go back. What were they watching the police or were they watching the news to know there had been no announcements? That's bizarre.

[Joe Holden]

Check all those boxes because we know that from police and prosecutors, this was a persistent tipster. They first called 911 last week to say, you better look at that middle school property. And then police come, they go, they have nothing. And so let me, let me, let me stop that right there. They do find a cell phone case, they find a bank card, and they find an iPad case and possibly some other personal evidence. Yet they didn't find Keda. So that tipster thing, emails, I'm told, from sources, emails, go back, you have to look again. You have to look more specifically in this location. And we learned that yesterday from prosecutors. So that happens. They go back, they find her in a shallow grave.

[Nancy Grace]

Wow. Joe Holden Fitzgibbon is gonna have a field day with tracking down that emailer. But let me go back to Joe Holden. An email like that can't be traced. I'm dying to find out who called 911 and who was watching so carefully that they knew police left without finding the human remains.

[Police Investigator]

Listen, that tip today led us back to this area behind the school where it's a wooded area. I don't know if any of you have been back there, but it's a wooded area that goes beyond the school.

[Health Expert]

Investigators return to ADA Lewis Middle School on a very specific anonymous tip to look in a heavily wooded area separating the old closed school from a recreation center. Investigators clear an area of brush and debris, uncovering freshly disturbed earth under a board. Digging with their bare hands, officers are hit with a strange smell and find maggots crawling through the dirt. The area is a shallow grave holding the decomposing remains.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, that's certainly putting it mildly, a strange smell because I'm telling you, once you go to a murder scene and you smell a decomposing body, a human body, you'll never forget it, even the smell alone. I've actually seen a rookie cop start vomiting from the smell alone. That video you saw is from our friends at abc. And there's more.

[Police Investigator]

We begin to go back into that area where we will locate a shallow grave after being able to remove some of the debris back there, able to locate the body of a human being.

[News Reporter]

It has been confirmed that these are the human remains of Katis Scott. And that has been confirmed by DNA.

[Nancy Grace]

To Joe Holden. Joining us, chief investigative reporter and anchor, CBS News Philly. That video from our friends at ABC6, Joe Holden. There's just so much to dissect, and this is what you have to do when you are investigating a case or preparing for trial. You have to take each line. I'm sure you do this in your investigative work and you have to analyze each and every fact. For instance, that the tipster not only called 91 1, but obviously carefully watching the scene, says, oh, my stars, they didn't find her. And emails back, who is this person number one, but Joe Holden. Can you imagine the chaos at the scene when the police are overcome and they start clawing at the dirt with their bare hands?

[Joe Holden]

So they had to excavate the entire area that they eventually determined to be the final resting place, if you will, or, you know, temporary resting place for the beautiful Kate of Scott there. Nancy, I will provide a timeline here that we learned we nailed down yesterday, she is reported missing October 4, 20 some minutes into her shift and then 20 minutes later, police sources believe that is when she dies. So that is October 4th, that is days before a news conference announcing that they're asking the public for help. And of course that is now this huge.

[Nancy Grace]

What did you say 20 minutes later? What?

[Joe Holden]

Repeat, 20 minutes after they say she leaves work is when they believe she dies. She is alive for only 20 minutes after she left the place that she works at in Chestnut Hill in the city of Philadelphia.

[Nancy Grace]

But Holden, what I don't understand. I hear you, but I don't understand what you're saying. She was dead within 20 minutes after taking her away from the assisted living where she worked.

[Joe Holden]

What? Police are telling us 20 minutes. They're very guarded on details of how they know that we couldn't even nail down. If they have surveillance video of her getting into this car would becomes a whole other side of this story. Where we thought there was one car, now there's a second car involved and it's a 2008 black Hyundai Accent. So Keon King, the suspect in this is now utilizing two different vehicles and it's believed he shows up to the terrace of Chestnut Hill. There where Katus Scott worked the Saturday night of October 4th. They know each other somehow, but are not giving us much detail as to how well or how long she gets into his car. And they are telling us now, according to multiple law enforcement sources, that she is alive for about a 20 minute time frame and then she dies.

[Nancy Grace]

The psychopathy behind that, I'm very anxious to determine why. Just 20 minutes in, she is murdered and actually Joe Holden. Let me quickly go to Brian Fitzgibbons joining us. He's the Director of Operations, USPA Nationwide Security. He leads a team of investigators that go around the world finding missing people and getting evidence. You and I analyze the case of Madeleine Soto S O T O and video surveillance played an integral role in catching the killer. I'm wondering if this case with Katis Scott will line up with what was done in the Maddie Soto case where the perp had the victim in a vehicle and was videoed with Maddie dead in the car. She just turned 13 and he had propped her up in a seat, the passenger seat with a seat belt on, and she was dead. And then tried to tell police that Maddie, little Maddie, 13, was actually asleep, that she dozed off on the way to school. It's possible, Fitzgibbons, it's possible that there is video of him with Kada in The car dead.

[Brian Fitzgibbons]

Very possible. And we're learning more information now with the introduction of this 2008 Hyundai sedan that King was driving and that authorities believe that Kata Scott, that was connected to Kata Scott's murder. So there will be more video surveillance of that video. Authorities have already pinned down King's location.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

Keon King, the prime suspect, looked very different from the way he did in his mugshot. He had a haircut, no longer sporting his dreads. He was wearing a cardigan and a button down shirt. The judge allowed handcuffs to be removed as he sat in court. Kado Scott's poor family filled part of the courtroom in a show of support. During the hearing, a former co worker of Katus testified on the night she disappeared, she got a phone call when she arrived for her overnight shift. That was around 10pm According to the co worker. She said something like, I can't believe you're calling me. She had tears in her eyes and she appeared scared, frightened, said the co worker. Now this is what just went down in the courtroom during this hearing. Prosecutors then in the last days reveal evidence pointing to Keon King as the person who made that phone call. They also revealed King and Scott had been texting in a way that suggested King wanted to meet up that evening. The co worker also testified they saw an SUV later disappearing from the parking lot. Lawyers trying to connect that vehicle to Keon King. We also learned in court, investigators testified about Keon King's cell phone records showing he was in the vicinity of Kada's job as well as the school where her body was found. How likely is that? Investigators also showed surveillance video of two people at a recreation center near the school. They claim King parked a stolen car there with Scott's body inside for over 30 hours. What more do we know about the night Kada disappeared?

[Nancy Grace]

To Joe Holden, joining us, chief investigative reporter and anchor, CBS News Philly on the case from the very beginning. And I don't call it a story, Joe, because this is no story. This is real. And her family devastated. I can go back on woulda, coulda, shoulda. This guy should have already been in jail. Prosecutors dropped the ball. They did not follow up on a previous case almost exactly like this one when the victim was too afraid she was an FTA failure to appear. I'll get to that later. But I want to go back to the police officers clawing at the dirt with their bare hands. They can smell human decop. Can you imagine that scene? They all jump down on the ground and start clawing because they don't I guess, have a shovel with them and suddenly they see maggots.

[Joe Holden]

It's a horrible scene. It's a terrible situation. And I know just from interacting with my sources in the Philadelphia Police Department, it was a traumatic situation for many of them. Many of them went off the grid. Nancy, frankly, Saturday night, Sunday, Sunday afternoon, we couldn't reach many of the folks that we deal with regularly due to the gravity of what they discovered. And to Brian Fitzke, given information about video and your question about, do we have video? Yeah. Prosecutors are saying they have video from a nearby rec center. If you see a shot of the school building, the rec center sits directly to the right from your vantage point. So there is video, according to prosecutors, of Keon King in this Hyundai accent arriving to the middle school and taking Katie Scott apparently onto the property. And then she is located in the back of the property. So this would be to the right of that picture you're looking for is where police have video evidence. They also tell us they have technology. They have evidence showing cellular activity of Keon King's phone in the area at the significant times of their investigation.

[Nancy Grace]

To Brian Fitzgibbons, many people have asked since the search for CADA started, how do you recognize a shallow grave? Wouldn't you agree that you see disturbed earth where everything looks the same, be it grass or leaves, you know, that have been there forever, that have been wet, that have been dried, that have been rained on again, and suddenly you see a disturbed area? I have always looked for a disturbed area before using, for instance, ground penetrating. Have you seen a ground penetrating device where you can see it kind of looks like an ultrasound, and you see where underneath the soil the dirt has been displayed. But you don't need a ground penetrator. You can see with the naked eye where the soil looks different from everywhere else.

[Brian Fitzgibbons]

Yeah, absolutely. There's ground penetrating radar, there's lidar, there's various technologies that can be used. But to the naked eye, I think what made this search complicated is that around the abandoned building, there's probably a high amount of debris, higher amount of boards scattered around. And in this case, the reports coming in is that that disturbed earth was covered up by a large piece of wood.

[Nancy Grace]

Guys, you are seeing video of le law enforcement on the scene and they are discovering Kada's remains. And as Joe Holden just told us, a lot of these first responders and police went off the grid and couldn't be reached. It was just, just too much. Dr. Thomas Coyne joining us, Chief medical examiner district to Medical Examiner's Office, State of Florida. He is a forensic pathologist. He is a toxicologist, He's a neuropathologist and more. Dr. Coyne, I'm sure you are familiar with the area of investigation that is forensic entomology. And I bring that up because of the existence of maggots. Not blowflies, but maggots. Why do I care? Because it ages the time of death. It helps me get a time of death. Explain.

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

Sure. I mean, certainly from the field of entomology, we know that different species of insects arrive at a decomposing body or a dead body at varying time intervals. So you can collect the different insect species that are found and examine their larval stage. So, for instance, with regards to maggots, it is well known how long it takes a maggot to go from an egg to a certain size larval stage, then eventually to becoming a fly. And so if you're able to characterize what stage of development the maggot is at, you may have a good idea of how long that body was perhaps present in the ground. So it helps to give a time frame of death when you're able to examine the various insect species and larvae that may be present. And it also provides a good means perhaps of toxicology. You can even test those insects for drugs or poisons if you had no tissue left on the body to examine.

[Nancy Grace]

New York CONTROL ROOM if you could pull up the video of the prior attack caught on video. It's very hard for me to look at this beautiful girl, Dr. Coyne, and reconcile your discussion about maggots. Hold on, hold on. Look at this. How'd you like to look out your window and see him peering in? In the video, you hear the victim screaming, call the police. Call the police. Everybody's running, everybody's moving. He's going from window to window to see how he can get in. This is one of his previous victims. Now I'm leading us up to a point. A six plus foot. There you go. Superhero jumping down. He landed in the victim's backyard and strides forward. This is from 4LCC on TikTok. So you know what? Joe Holden, this guy, he's got a rap sheet as long as my arm. Here he is. This is his either second or third attack. Very similar to the attack on Kata. She, Joe Holden didn't stand a chance. She lasted 20 minutes in the car with this predator. 20 minutes, Joe.

[Joe Holden]

Yeah. And he's. He's got that rap sheet. I guess we could call it a rap sheet. Or we could call it actually nothing. Thin air because those cases went away. The case from November, when police say he burglarizes the home and then strangles an ex girlfriend on a bed. And that case goes before a judge or a magistrate. We're still sorting out, which I believe it was a judge for preliminary hearings. And then witness and victims fail to appear. So the case is withdrawn by the district attorney's office. And then fast forward to January where he is engaged in a similar criminal conduct, accused of kidnapping and strangling the same ex girlfriend. So now we have a case happening that's overlapping the first case. Okay. And then charges are brought for the second one. Not until April. This is the afternoon that police allege the second incident happened. This is in January here. And so charges are brought in April. There are two hearings on the matter and the district attorney withdraws the charges just yesterday. They are admitting that they could have gone forward with a prosecution of this case without a witness to the crime. So right there they're conceding that they made some mistakes, they should have done things differently. But Nancy, what this has done is this has triggered an all out war of words between the DA's office and the courts in Philadelphia, with the courts telling the district Attorney's office that they should be ashamed of themselves. They've been appallingly disrespectful in their descriptions of how their interaction in these criminal cases has played out. So we're still unraveling, but brace yourself,

[Nancy Grace]

Joe Holden, that is a load of of crap. That video from LCC TikTok, because there's plenty of blame to go around here. Let me bring in Mark Tate, veterans trial lawyer, high profile lawyer out of the Savannah jurisdiction with the Tate Law Group and beyond. Tate, take off your defense hat. Just one moment. This is complete bs. Let's break it down for people that have not been in the criminal justice system. Number one, the da, not the judge, failed. They had a case where a woman was strangled on her bed. And in a subsequent case, and she was an fta, she has described her fear that he would get right back out and finish her off. That's why she was an fta. Failure to appear. So what? Failure you to appear. That means nothing to me. That's why we have investigators. Go find her. That's not hard to say. Go find.

[Mark Tate]

No, it's not easy.

[Nancy Grace]

But wait a minute, Tate, there's more. There's more. Okay, because I want to hear your whole opinion. That was the DA's fault, not the judges. But then the Judges pile on because they get him. The DA asked for a million dollar bond and they go and they give him a low bond. He has access to money, a lot of money, and he walks. So both of them are guilty. And I don't care how much they're like, oh, we screwed up. Yeah, you did, because Kate is dead. You can think about that tonight. When you try to go to sleep, it's on you. That's the truth there.

[Mark Tate]

Nancy, I really do want to stress a couple of things. And I represent judges and I've represented sitting elected district attorneys. And so I am sympathetic with their position. However, here I think there is as exactly you described. It.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mark Tate]

No, what I'm saying is you know

[Nancy Grace]

what that means, right?

[Mark Tate]

But I also take on judges when they make mistakes. I just got one recused from Savannah's probate court last week because he should not be close to a bench. And I take on judges when they make a mistake, and I take on district attorneys when they make a mistake.

[Nancy Grace]

This is why I say this is not an infomercial for the Tate Law Group. Can we focus on this case?

[Mark Tate]

What I'm saying is that judges and district attorneys should be held accountable when they make mistakes. This is a mistake that should terrify any victim of domestic violence. The fact that, oh, another victim just walked away. They know. The tests show, the studies show that victims of domestic violence don't come to court. They frequently fail to prosecute their cases. It's in the district attorney's discretion how they go forward.

[News Reporter]

A really sophisticated approach to the case would have been to try to put it all on with video evidence. That is not usually an easy thing to do. I would say with 2020 hindsight, it's something that could have been done, and I own that. I mean, ultimately, the buck stops here. It's not my job to throw other people under the bus. If there's a decision that is poor and I believe that that was an incorrect decision, then we have to own it and we have to try to.

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[Nancy Grace]

stories with Nancy Grace in the last

[Crime Stories Narrator]

days, a judge orders a prime suspect in the murder of a Miss USA hopeful, Kada Scott be detained for trial. In a highly emotional hearing, we learned a neighbor of Keon King's testified that she, the neighbor, ordered two Uber rides for Keon King October 5, the day after Kada's murder. The defense tried to argue the Uber rides were not connected to him. Those Uber rides will be very important at trial. Investigators also showed highly graphic photos of Kada on the day she was found in a shallow grave near that vacant middle school. They went into detail about tips they received, telling them to search the school. Even after they had already searched inside and didn't find anything, the tips kept coming. Then they got a tip that said go back, search again and search outside the school. Photos were shown in court of the shallow grave that held Kata Scott. It was so upsetting, some of her family had to leave the courtroom crying and gasping as they saw these photos of Kada. Kada's phone, her iPad and Apple watch were never found. But investigators also testified they used an old iPad to gain her Apple ID and trace her devices on the night she disappeared. Lawyers for Keon King argue prosecutors showed no evidence connecting him to the crime. What more do we know?

[Joe Holden]

Katie Scott's human remains were found two weeks after she went missing.

[News Reporter]

There are new charges being brought against Keon King. Arson causing catastrophe, Conspiracy, Unauthorized use of an automobile, Receiving stolen property property, Reckless endangerment of another person, Tampering with evidence.

[Nancy Grace]

Wait a minute, I heard additional charges. I didn't hear that very special word.

[Mark Tate]

Murder.

[Nancy Grace]

Arson, Death by receiving. Who cares? Kada Scott was murdered according to Joe Holden joining us from CBS news, Philly. Within 20 minutes after she gets into the car of the alleged perpetrator. But tonight a more disturbing question. Is there someone out there that actually thought it was a good idea to help murder Kada Scott so there wouldn't be witnesses and or dispose of her body?

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

Listen, at this point we do have reason to believe that other people may have been involved after the fact at the point where the Hyundai accent is on scene on video at the rec center leading up to, you know, all of the events we're talking about the other car, the Toyota is there as well. And we believe the people in these vehicles are working together.

[Nancy Grace]

Is that why Joe Holden, that law enforcement believes there is an accomplice? Maybe after the fact, maybe not. I don't know the exact extent of the accomplices involvement, but there's two cars. He wasn't driving both of them or was he driving both of them at two different times? Who do the two cars belong to? Why are they saying bombshell, there's an accomplice that thinks it's a good idea to bury a Miss USA hopeful behind an abandoned middle school.

[Joe Holden]

So we don't know what kind of help he's getting. But you're ringing a bell that's going off in all of our minds is where is the homicide charge? We have not seen it. We've only heard that they are working on bringing that case. So instead of that case we have now what is an arson charge and there's also a conspiracy charge attached to it. So they're right. In lies the who's the helper also about this tipster that leads them back to this property on Saturday. We don't even have a sense that investigators have an identity on the tipster. Lots of sources telling us this has to be someone in Keon King's tight knit circle here, his group, someone he knows, maybe a family member. Where we are scratching at the surface here.

[Nancy Grace]

Hey guys, this video is from Joe's station, CBS Philly. Joe, question how soon after the $10,000 reward was announced did someone give a tip?

[Joe Holden]

Pretty immediately there was Wednesday of last week and the family was offering a tip. I believe it was slightly under 10,000 at that moment. So then the call comes into 911 to check the middle school property. And then by Saturday the reward was increasing. I believe it had reached maybe $12,000. And an email comes in to one of the, you know, Philadelphia Police Department's tip lines, you know, a tip server I guess saying go back, go back to the middle school. Oh, and you have to look here.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, you know, apparently Mark Tate, veteran trial lawyer, defense attorney, there is no honor amongst thieves.

[Mark Tate]

Nope. I agree totally. If somebody spats in the fire, they're going to grab you and bring in. Bring you with them. And so sure, there's an accomplice. It appears pretty obvious because we don't think that Keon King is going to turn himself in or give any tips to try to find this lady. Obviously somebody, in my opinion, from my experience, assisted in disposing of this body. And I'm afraid that they may be felt guilty and want to try to get out of it in some fashion.

[Nancy Grace]

Translation, they wanted that $10,000 reward and

[Mark Tate]

they wanted the $10,000. You know, $10,000 can. Can change some people's lives. And so I think that.

[Nancy Grace]

Did you actually say the ghoul that helped bury her body, that police then dug out with their bare hands through the maggots, called in because they were guilty and what a coinky dink a coincidence.

[Mark Tate]

And they wanted 10 grand.

[Nancy Grace]

Let me explain that for you. That it was right after the reward was announced.

[Mark Tate]

I agree with you. Like I said, you know, you said it. Amongst thieves, if somebody is in trouble, if somebody's in trouble and they think they can give you up and get themselves out of trouble or less trouble than what they otherwise would be, they're going to snitch. These are not honorable people. These are absolutely the lowest. These aren't like, you know, people who are going to protect each other out of any kind of loyalty. There's no loyalty here.

[Nancy Grace]

And appears I'm going to throw this to Brian Fitzgibbons because you'll probably deny it. And then I will ask Dr. Gerald and utter about it. Fitz Gibbons.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

Yes.

[Nancy Grace]

The case. You've investigated a lot of cases. And I know this is going to sound crazy to a lot of people that have not been in our shoes. Have you ever walked into a group

[Crime Stories Narrator]

here, covering her face on the right side, blinking rapidly?

[GLP1 Drug Expert]

Evil.

[Nancy Grace]

It's just a feeling. After all the years I investigated and prosecuted, it really only happened a couple of times where you walk in and it's like the hair goes up on the back of your neck.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

This is crime. I want to thank you.

[Nancy Grace]

You can sense it. You can sense a feeling of just evil. Talking about no honor among thieves. I mean, really. Come on, Fitzgibbons. How hard is it going to be to trace the IP of the email, the Internet provider, please.

[Brian Fitzgibbons]

Very simple process for law enforcement to conduct. Number one, they Get a subpoena to the ISP and they get that full email header and they unmask the location of where this email came from. It would take a pretty nuanced person to hide that email from them. And I believe that they can do this pretty rapidly.

[Nancy Grace]

To Dr. Jerry Lynn utter joining us, a clinical psychologist specializing in evaluations and assessments for people in the criminal justice system. She's the author of Mainlining Philly regarding drug addiction and Aftershock. I mean producer of Utter Nonsense. That's an a documentary exploring him addiction

[Crime Stories Narrator]

and Now I know.

[Nancy Grace]

Dr. Geralyn Utter, thank you for being with us. Question what ghoul thinks it's okay. The preliminary to put a beautiful young girl, brilliant graduated Penn State is brought and bury her in a shallow grave behind middle school in the store parking lot and just for good measure, covered up with a board determined like that's gonna stop a cadaver dog a lie and walk away and feel okay with that.

[Rebecca (Witness or Expert)]

Whoever is involved, if there is an accomplice like. Like Joe Holden saying in moving her body or burying her, this is somebody

[Nancy Grace]

that

[Crime Stories Narrator]

after her arrest Rebecca says her

[Rebecca (Witness or Expert)]

husband would never to your point that you made earlier about the hair standing up on the back of your neck. When I heard that that same exact thing happened to me because that Mr. King is within in the circle of

[Crime Stories Narrator]

a

[Rebecca (Witness or Expert)]

have a similar another mindset that she does. So you know, they probably didn't really see Ms. Scott much as. As a human being. This was somebody that they were worrying in order to please Keon or to help Keon. So the psychopathy is similar in that you're dealing with folks that are sociopath. So anybody that is going to do that similar personality organization. The other alternative, Nancy, which you probably aren't going to want to hear, is that maybe the accomplice or have been under some type of coercive control, afraid of him, afraid of retaliation from him. That's also an option. But I feel as though it's more, you know, people that are floating in the same circle as he is and also have the same type of mindset as he does.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

Our office approved charges, as the DA just said, of arson causing catastrophe, conspiracy, unauthorized use of an automobile, tampering with evidence, recklessly endangering another person and receipt of stolen property. Those charges are in reference to the burning of a vehicle. That Vehicle is a 2008 black Hyundai Accent Kata was deeply loved. Her light kindness and beautiful spirit will forever remain in our hearts. Our family now seeks justice for K. Scott matters.

[Nancy Grace]

Her life matters A Second car. Does anyone that indicate. Is that the proof of an accomplice? Some ghoul that thought it was okay to throw the body of a Miss USA hopeful into a shallow grave or dig the grave and then just walk away? I not think another thing about it. Okay, you're hearing about arson charges. Where's that coming from? Listen, There was a 911 call that

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

a vehicle was on fire. So police didn't respond to it. The fire department response responded to it, ruled it in arson. And then at that point, when they were finished with their investigation, the car was. It was demolished, it was burned. So it was taken

[Nancy Grace]

from our friends at CBS Philly. And speaking of, straight out to Joe Holden. Tell me about the car fire. It seems disconnected, but it is very connected. Probably won't get any evidence from it, but it comprehensive. Who does it belong to? What do we know?

[Joe Holden]

It was stolen. It was stolen on October 3rd. So that is the day before Kada Scott goes missing. And then we know once she goes missing, it's 20 minutes later that police sources believe that she is killed. But then that is the car seen on video from the rec center that sits next to the middle school. Again, that Keon King is. The Hyundai Accent. 2008 Hyundai Accent. And then she's placed on the middle.

[Nancy Grace]

Again. I need to understand exactly what he's saying. Joe Holden. Tell me that one more time.

[Joe Holden]

Car stolen on October 3rd. Katie Scott goes missing on October 4th. And then the car is found burning on the street October 7th. Miraculously, Philadelphia gets right to it and finds the car and takes it off the street because it is an abandoned, burning car. It goes to a junkyard where it

[Crime Stories Narrator]

is crushed and compacted.

[Joe Holden]

We've confirmed that there is no valuable DNA or evidence that can be retrieved from that car because it all burned

[Nancy Grace]

up in the fire and it was compacted. But at the time, it was taken to a ton and compacted, crushed. I actually bought. They likely didn't know it was connected

[Crime Stories Narrator]

to Cato Church in Macon, Georgia.

[Joe Holden]

Absolutely true. And that is where, you know, they're explaining why they can't get, you know, any sort of usable evidence from this car because it's destroyed. They say it was destroyed in the fire. So whatever actions happen at the junkyard, it's not like they could go back and piece this thing together.

[Nancy Grace]

Yeah, I don't know if I believe that. Fitzgibbons. Even if the car's been through fire, I don't know how much of it was burned. I don't know if the candle could have had DNA or fingerprints still on it. I don't know if the interior was intact in any way. I mean, without seeing the car, they were ranked. I don't know that we couldn't have gotten fingerprints, but that's a woulda. Could have showed up again because it's over. It's being compacted. You're not going to get anything from it.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

Now.

[Brian Fitzgibbons]

This vehicle being compacted makes it nearly impossible. And you know, I will say that there are cases after a vehicle is burnt that we can recover some. Some physical evidence. This is going to speak directly to the amount of blow present in that vehicle.

[Nancy Grace]

Guys, this is what we know about the vehicle. Take a listen to the ADA Ashley Teslowski.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

That vehicle was stolen October 3rd from the area of 6600 Spring Street. We believe that vehicle is the vehicle that was used in this case. That vehicle was then on scene. That rec center ultimately, as we all know, is where we found Ms. Scott's human remains. Video evidence indicates it was on location. Video evidence then indicates it leaves location. It was burned on October 7th. It was located on the 2300 block of 74th Avenue.

[Nancy Grace]

Straight back to Cindy. Tell me about the video. Because the car's destroyed. I'm not getting anything from that. Okay. I would stay up all night fuming if I were prosecuting this case. But immediately fall back for Hail Mary. Free the Hail Mary. Is it video? What does the video show about how this car is connected to Kata?

[Joe Holden]

So the video shows the car arrives at that middle school property there in East Germantown, where Cadillac is later found buried just this past weekend. The Toyota that they were feverishly searching for a week ago is also there now. So Keon King, according to prosecutors and sources, is using both cars in tandem and at times separately. He is apparently using someone else to help him with both cars. So both cars are in. In motion, so to speak, in this investigation. But it is the Hyundai Accent that is the car believed to take Kata Scott from her place of work in chestnut hill, Saturday, October 4th, just moments after 10pm Then to the middle school property. And then that car on video is seen coming and going two to three times in the time since October 4th.

[Philadelphia DA or Police Spokesperson]

We recovered additional evidence, including video evidence that confirms that this vehicle, we believe, is the vehicle that Mr. Keon King used to move Ms. Scott. We recovered video out from near the Ada Lewis Middle School where our search and the investigator search has been focused. There's a rec center directly next to that school. Video evidence was recovered from that rec center, and we are now able to say that this Hyundai accent was on location at all of the times we're looking at, at all of the pertinent points in the investigation.

[News Reporter]

Kada was kind. She was a kind woman. She was kind to her friends, she was kind to her family. K is someone who could have been our sister, our cousin, just someone that is a friend or family member in our lives. Could have been anybody who any one of us.

[Nancy Grace]

I want to go quickly out to Dr. Thomas Coyne, guys. He is the chief medical examiner, District 2 in the state of Florida. Forensic pathologist, toxicologist, neuropathologist. And it goes on. How are we going to get a COD Cause of death? Given the amount of time between Kadith's death, her murder, and the discovery of her remains?

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

It really depends upon if sufficient tissue is present still on the body that allows us to identify an injury. So decomposition has progressed far enough where most of the soft tissues on the neck and on the torso are absent. It may be hard to see if she was strangled or even stabbed. So they may have to employ the help of an anthropologist that can do a little more detailed examination of the skeleton to see if there are any fractures. So, for instance, if a person was, let's say, stabbed. So you may actually can't do that

[Nancy Grace]

with an X ray coin.

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

No. Very hard to sometimes see the difference between, let's say, scavenging activity, like tooth marks from an animal compared to knife mark from a tool. But if you were able to actually get the bone, not only can you actually see the knife mark, you can make a determination as to whether or not that occurred before death as opposed to just artifact after death. And then you can also maybe use that to create a mold to compare to a murder weapon if actually find one. So it gives you more options.

[Nancy Grace]

And all that is predicated, Dr. Coyne, upon the knife, if the knife was used. Hitting a bone.

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

Exactly. So that's the difficult part about having a body that's found in the ground. If a body's down in the ground.

[Nancy Grace]

And don't you think the likely COD is going to be asphyxiation in that car?

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

I do. In this case, I do. And the only thing you hope for is that they were. The fact that they haven't released a cause of death tells me that they didn't have sufficient evidence to determine asphyxiation. You know, if you strangle a person, if a person is recently deceased, you may be able to see bruising in the neck, bruising in the neck muscles. Sometimes you can Get a fracture of the thyroid cartilage or hyoid bone. But in a body that's decomposing outside, you hope that you even find the hyoid bone. If there is a scavenger.

[Nancy Grace]

Buried.

[Mazda CX5 Advertiser]

Buried.

[Nancy Grace]

Wait, wait, wait. Hold it. Coin. Buried. Buried. Wouldn't that preclude, quote, scavenger activity? Animals tearing her body apart? Let's just put it out there. That's what it is. If she were buried, Coin, then I don't know that scavengers had gotten to her.

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

No. Well, flies did, right? So she actually was covered in maggots. So just because she's in the ground in a shallow grave doesn't mean scavengers can't have. Have access to the body. Those chemicals of decomposition volatilized. They're able to be smelled by animals all around. And there are burying animals that can go into the ground. But what I'm saying is that even if you strangled her because she's young, she may not have fractures in her neck. All of the injuries may be in soft tissue like bruises. And if that tissue is gone from decomposition or maggot activity.

[Nancy Grace]

Let me see him, for Pete's sake. Coin, you can see the monitor, right? You can see Kayda. Scott, does it ever bother you? Because it bothers me badly that we're talking about animals burrowing into the ground to eat her body and tear it apart.

[Dr. Thomas Coyne]

It's hard to separate the dad in me, you know, from the doctor. So when I have these cases, I have to turn that off. I mean, it certainly does bother you when those cases come into my office,

[Nancy Grace]

and this is horrible, Joe, I'm going to have to quit thinking about everything Dr. Thomas Coyne is saying, because I know it's all true, and I know he's right, But I need to think about the evidence that I can handle. How am I going to prove this case and get the killer and all of his minions that helped him? Can we talk about cell phone evidence very quickly? Joe Holden.

[Joe Holden]

Cell phone evidence places him at all of the pertinent locations. The district attorney's office says in this whole, you know, sort of scheme where it starts on October 3rd with the stealing of a car. October 4th, she goes missing. And then that car is back and forth a few times to this middle school property. Is he moving her? Is he doing what? Is he trying to conceal further, you know, evidence that he's been there? We will wait and see. The district attorney's office. Nancy, if you hear a lot of how they phrase this, they don't say body, they don't say dead. They don't. They're really just of a degree of respect for Kata Scott, that he moves her, that he takes her there. And so we're scratching our heads and a lot of the time trying to figure out, well, is she dead as she's being moved? And after all of this, we determined we were able to find out from our sources 20 minutes after she leaves her work, they believe she is killed. So as far as the evidence, there's video, there's cell records, and of course now there is this tipster who provided information on two occasions to Philadelphia police. They are actively investigating the person's identity and are hoping to uncover the trail that that person provided the information that then led police here. That tipster is now part of this investigation.

[Crime Stories Narrator]

In the last days, a judge orders the prime suspect in the murder of a Miss USA hopeful be held for trial. Following Kate's murder, her family created a foundation in Kada's name on what would have been her 24th birthday. The family still tried to make sense of this terrible tragedy. They wake up in the middle of the night thinking about her, says Kevin Scott. That's Kada's dad. He says, to be honest, I'm not good. My daughter's not here anymore. Missing her every day, especially thinking of her on her birthday. The Kata Scott foundation will provide scholarships, grants and mentors for girls with the same type of positivity and ambition Kata had before she was murdered. Remember, Kada was a Penn State student. After going to her job at an assisted living facility, she disappeared. We wait as justice unfolds. Nancy Grace Crime Stories signing off.

[Nancy Grace]

Goodbye.

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