CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — An anonymous Conshohocken businessman has established a fund to help pay the expense of sending the body of murder victim Natel King to her family in Canada.
King, who came to the area for a pornographic photography shoot in February under the name Taylor Sumers, was found murdered Tuesday afternoon along River Road in Whitemarsh. She was reported missing March 4.
The businessman said he wants to remain anonymous because he doesn’t want people to think that he or his business will profit from the incident.
“We just feel obligated,” he said. “I just felt, in reading the story, an enormous amount of sympathy for her and her father.”
King’s father said in interviews Wednesday he was unsure whether he would be able to come to preliminary hearings for the accused killer because of the expense of bringing his daughter’s body to Canada.
Anthony J. Frederick, of Lower Providence, is charged with King’s murder. Jennifer Mitkus, whose last known address is the Hampton Inn in Oaks, is charged with hindering apprehension and lying to police. Mitkus is described as Frederick’s photo assistant.
After the discovery of King’s body, Mitkus and Frederick were put under surveillence and eventually arrested at midnight, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr.
King, 23, worked as a soft-core pornographic model to pay for college, according to her father.
She traveled from her home in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada to Conshohocken Feb. 29 for a photo shoot in a rented apartment at 105 W. Third Ave.
Police found her naked body Tuesday wrapped in a blue photographer’s backdrop similar to one prosecutors say was used by Frederick. Her body was also found with a ball-gag in her mouth.
Castor described some of the wounds to King’s hands, head and chest as requiring a large amount of force to perform, adding that some appear to be the result of a struggle.
Those interested in donating money to help pay for the cost of a funeral can mail checks to The Natel King Fund, c/o Dolores Smith, Sovereign Bank, 612 Fayette St., Conshohocken, PA 19428.