From left to right: Jonah Michael Poole, Edward Koza and Kylee Alyssa Dakes (Anne Arundel Police Department). Background: Tropic Bay Water Gardens parking lot in Maryland, where Poole and Dakes lit Koza’s car on fire with him still inside, cops say (WBAL).
Two 18-year-olds in Maryland face life behind bars after they allegedly attacked a garden shop owner, bound him in his car and lit it on fire with him still inside.
Jonah Michael Poole and Kylee Alyssa Dakes stand accused of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and arson in the death of 67-year-old Edward Stephen Koza, according to Anne Arundel County Police.
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Cops and fire personnel responded around 9:25 p.m. on May 24 to a vehicle fire outside the Tropic Bay Water Gardens business in Davidsonville, which is just outside Annapolis. After crews extinguished the fire, they found Koza’s body tied up and with duct tape covering his mouth, police said. Authorities could smell gasoline with a melted container nearby and determined that the suspects intentionally set the fire.
Local Washington, D.C., Fox affiliate WTTG and CBS affiliate WUSA obtained criminal complaints that show how cops put the case together and identified the teen couple as suspects. Cops reportedly believe Koza was alone in the store around 5:30 p.m. on the day in question when Poole and Dakes attacked him.
After a struggle, Poole and Dakes allegedly tied up the victim and stuffed him in his car. The suspects then drove around with Koza in the car and eventually made their way to a gas station around 9 p.m., police said. Surveillance video reportedly showed a woman getting out of the passenger seat of Koza’s car and entering the gas station. The driver wore a Bass Pro Shops hat and a flannel shirt. The woman slipped the clerk two $5 bills, which authorities believe were for the gasoline used to fuel the deadly fire.
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The suspects drove back to Koza’s business and allegedly lit the car on fire with Koza still inside. Authorities reportedly found a Bass Pro Shops hat next to the burned vehicle. Authorities used surveillance video from the Bass Pro Shops store to identify Poole and Dakes as suspects from earlier in the day, when Poole bought the ubiquitous hat and flannel shirt, the affidavit reportedly said.
Baltimore Fox affiliate WBFF obtained charging documents that show cops believe the motive for the crime is robbery. Poole worked as an employee at Koza’s store for about two weekends last year, the documents reportedly said.
A 911 caller reportedly said it “looked like someone threw something” into the vehicle before it caught fire.
Poole and Dakes reportedly attended Southern High School and were slated to graduate this week. Instead, they’re behind bars.
Meanwhile, cops are working to authenticate a video of a man in a flannel shirt lighting a vehicle on fire.
The suspects remain at the Anne Arundel County Jail without bond. They have a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 25.
