ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY — An Anne Arundel County judge sentenced 19-year-old Jonah Michael Poole to life in prison with the possibility of parole on June 27, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Edward Stephen Koza. Koza’s body was discovered burned inside a vehicle on May 24, 2025.

Authorities responded to a report of a vehicle on fire at 600 West Central Avenue in Davidsonville, Maryland, where they found human remains in the passenger compartment. These remains were identified as Edward Stephen Koza, who was 67 years old and owned Tropic Bay Water Gardens. Police stated that Koza was kidnapped before his killing.

Prosecutors stated that Poole and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Kylee Alyssa Dakes, attacked Koza at his store. They bound his arms and taped his mouth before placing him in the back seat of his pickup truck, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors added that Poole and Dakes then soaked the vehicle with gasoline and set it on fire with Koza inside. Investigators later found broken items, blood, and a pair of shoes inside Tropic Bay Water Gardens. Koza was not wearing shoes when his body was found, and a melted plastic gas nozzle sprout was found in the truck after the fire was extinguished. Surveillance video showed Dakes buying $10 worth of gasoline shortly before the truck was set on fire.

Poole, who resides in Davidsonville, worked for a short period of time at Tropic Bay Water Gardens. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in March 2026. On the day of his sentencing, Poole was ordered to relinquish approximately $215,000 stolen from Koza and a $15,000 truck purchased with stolen funds to Koza's estate. The judge also referred Poole to the state's youthful offender program. In October 2025, a judge ruled that Poole was competent to stand trial.

Dakes is charged with first-degree murder and is scheduled to go on trial in December 2026. She and Poole face the same seven counts. Poole is also charged with spray-painting a swastika on a school in Edgewater, Maryland, and stealing more than $11,000 from a dock bar where Dakes worked.

Why It Matters

This case involves the death of a local business owner and highlights a severe crime with multiple alleged perpetrators. The sentencing of Jonah Michael Poole to life in prison for first-degree murder, following his guilty plea, addresses the killing of Edward Stephen Koza. The ongoing legal proceedings against Kylee Alyssa Dakes, who faces similar charges, indicate the continued judicial response to the incident. Furthermore, the court's order for Poole to return stolen funds to Koza's estate addresses financial aspects related to the crime.