One of Two Suspects in Davidsonville Arson-Murder Case Pleads Guilty

One of two individuals arrested in connection with an alleged deadly arson incident in Davidsonville nearly a year ago has entered a guilty plea.

According to charging documents, at approximately 9:25 p.m. on May 24, 2025, Anne Arundel County Police and fire personnel responded to Tropic Bay, located at 600 West Central Avenue, for a reported vehicle fire. Upon arrival, crews discovered a vehicle fully engulfed in flames in the business’s parking lot. After extinguishing the fire, responders located human remains inside the passenger compartment. The victim’s mouth, hands, and feet were bound with tape, according to investigators.

The victim was later identified as 67 year-old Edward Stephen Koza of Annapolis. Court records indicate Koza was the owner of both the vehicle and the business. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Authorities arrested 19 year old Jonah Poole and 18 year old Kylee Alyssa Dakes of Harwood on May 31, 2025, at a residence on Bethel Lane in Harwood. Both were charged with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, conspiracy to commit murder, and arson in connection with Koza’s death, according to court records.

Court records show that Poole pleaded guilty to first-degree murder during a hearing in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Investigators had previously identified Poole as a suspect in a separate vandalism incident that allegedly occurred on May 15, 2025, at The Summit School in Edgewater. He was served with a warrant in that case on June 13, 2025, while already in custody at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center.

In addition to the arson-murder and related allegations, Poole also faces charges in a third case involving an alleged commercial burglary reported on May 18, 2025. A trial in that matter is scheduled for May 5, 2026.

A plea hearing for Dakes had also been scheduled for March 18, 2026, but was canceled. Court records indicate that a 10-day trial in her case remains scheduled to begin on June 8, 2026. 

Related: Charging Documents Detail Arrests of Kylee Dakes and Jonah Poole, Both 18, for Alleged Roles in Death of Man Found Bound with Tape in a Burning Vehicle in Davidsonville

Hate Crime Charges Filed Against One of Two Suspects in Davidsonville Arson-Murder Case Regarding Separate Incident at The Summit School

Authorities Charge Kylee Dakes and Jonah Poole, Both 18, in Connection with Death of Man Found Dead Inside Burning Vehicle in Davidsonville