ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. – A teen couple is accused of attacking a man at his business, killing him, and then setting fire to his vehicle while he was inside.
On the night of May 24, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and firefighters responded to West Central Avenue, where they discovered a car completely engulfed in flames in a parking lot outside a business. After the fire was extinguished, officials discovered a deceased man, later identified as 67-year-old Edward Koza, in the passenger seat.
According to WTTG-TV, Koza’s hands and arms were bound, and his mouth was taped closed. Officials allegedly smelled gasoline coming from the vehicle and discovered a melted spout for a plastic fuel container in the backseat. They also reportedly discovered a new-looking Bass Pro baseball hat at the scene.
Koza’s death was ruled a homicide, and investigators determined that he had suffered blunt force trauma to the head. Police said the exact cause of death is still being investigated.
According to WTTG, Koza, the owner of Tropic Bay Water Gardens, was alone inside the store when he was attacked. According to court documents reviewed by WBAL-TV, Koza was bound, robbed, and killed with a rock inside his business.
Police obtained surveillance video from a nearby gas station, which allegedly showed Koza’s car pulling up. A woman was allegedly seen exiting, and the driver appeared to be a man dressed in a flannel shirt and a Bass Pro baseball cap.
Investigators identified 18-year-old Jonah Poole and Kylee Alyssa Dakes as the primary suspects in the case. WTTG reports that they are boyfriend and girlfriend.
Shortly before the alleged attack, the couple reportedly went to the Arundel Mills Bass Pro Shop to get a change of clothes and the hat, which were discovered at the crime scene.
Dakes and Poole allegedly assaulted Koza before loading him into his vehicle and driving to a gas station to purchase gasoline, which may have been used to start the fire. Investigators believe the couple then drove back to the Tropic Bay Water Gardens parking lot, set fire to the car with Koza inside, and fled in it.
Poole and Dakes were arrested on May 31 and charged with first- and second-degree murder, assault, conspiracy to commit first- and second-degree murder, and arson.
According to WBFF-TV, Poole previously worked for Tropic Bay Water Gardens for two weekends about a year ago.
According to a statement from Justin Mulcahy of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, “We just do not know the motive right now, so we are still looking into it.” We are trying to figure out exactly what happened — why they were in the area and at this business.
We know there was a struggle inside the business, and surveillance footage eventually revealed suspects in the area. Based on the circumstances of our investigation, we believe they are responsible for the murder of the victim, Mr. Koza, in this case.