Teen Couple Arrested in Brutal Murder of Maryland Business Owner Found in Burned Truck

DAVIDSONVILLE, Md. — A teenage couple has been charged with the gruesome murder of 67-year-old Edward Stephen Koza, a beloved Annapolis business owner whose body was discovered in a burning pickup truck outside his Tropic Bay Water Gardens store. The suspects, 18-year-olds Jonah Michael Poole of Davidsonville and Kylee Alyssa Dakes of Harwood, were arrested on May 31, 2025, and are being held without bond, facing charges of first- and second-degree murder, assault, conspiracy, and arson, authorities said.

On the evening of May 24, 2025, Anne Arundel County police and firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle engulfed in flames in the parking lot of Tropic Bay Water Gardens on West Central Avenue. After extinguishing the fire, responders found Koza’s remains in the passenger seat, bound at the hands, arms, and mouth with tape. An autopsy revealed blunt force trauma to his head, and the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, though the exact cause remains under investigation, according to police statements.

Investigators used a Bass Pro Shops baseball cap left at the scene and surveillance footage from a nearby BP gas station to identify Poole and Dakes, who are reportedly in a romantic relationship. Video evidence captured Koza’s truck at the gas station around 9 p.m. that night, with Dakes purchasing $10 worth of gasoline—believed to have been used in the arson—and Poole, wearing a flannel shirt and the distinctive cap, driving the vehicle. Additional footage allegedly shows the suspects setting the truck ablaze with Koza inside, police said.

Authorities believe Koza was attacked inside his store after closing hours, between 5 p.m. and the time of the fire. Evidence of a struggle was found inside the business, which Koza had operated since 2001. The motive for the killing remains unclear, though charging documents suggest the suspects robbed Koza before the murder, according to WBAL-TV. “We’re still trying to ascertain exactly what led up to this—why they were there at this business,” Anne Arundel County police spokesperson Justin Mulcahy told CBS Baltimore, describing the crime as “heinous” and rare for the area.

Poole faces additional charges related to a burglary at Pirate’s Cove Restaurant in Galesville on May 18, where $11,000 in receipts and $6,000 in damages were reported. Dakes was employed at the restaurant, and security footage linked Poole to the crime, police confirmed to FOX 5 DC. The restaurant burglary occurred just days before the murder, raising questions about a possible pattern of criminal activity.

The Davidsonville community is reeling from the shocking violence. “That’s absolutely insane. That’s not something you expect from this area,” resident Danielle Schline told FOX 5 DC. Neighbors described Koza as a quiet, well-liked figure with no children and few known relatives. Customer Brett Murray expressed grief, saying, “It’s just sad all the way around for everybody involved,” in an interview with WBAL-TV.

Dakes’ family claimed she was an honors student set to pursue a nursing degree at Notre Dame of Maryland University, while Poole’s public defender argued there is “no tangible physical evidence” directly implicating him in the murder, according to WBAL-TV. Despite these defenses, police assert that the “totality of the circumstances” strongly points to the couple’s guilt.

The investigation continues, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact detectives at 410-222-4731. As of May 29, Anne Arundel County has reported seven homicides in 2025, a sharp increase from two at this point in 2024, according to county crime data cited by CBS Baltimore.

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