What happened in the quiet corner of Anne Arundel County in May 2024 wasn't just a crime; it was a total rupture of the community's sense of safety. Honestly, when people search for Jonah Poole and Southern High School, they aren't looking for football scores or honor roll lists anymore. They’re looking for answers about how a 18-year-old student—on the literal cusp of walking across a graduation stage—could be linked to a crime so gruesome it feels like the plot of a dark thriller.
Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland, is one of those places where everyone "sorta" knows everyone. It’s a tight-knit community. So, when news broke that Jonah Michael Poole and his girlfriend, Kylee Alyssa Dakes, were arrested for the murder of 67-year-old Edward Stephen Koza, the shock didn't just ripple—it leveled the place.
The Graduation That Never Happened
Most kids at Southern High were picking out prom outfits and worrying about final exams in late May. Jonah Poole and Kylee Dakes were doing something else entirely. According to investigators from the Anne Arundel County Police Department, while their classmates were preparing for the June 3 graduation ceremony, Poole and Dakes were allegedly plotting a heist and a homicide.
It’s chilling to think about.
Poole was actually identified in part because of his prom pictures. Think about that for a second. The same face captured in a tuxedo, smiling for a milestone memory, was the face police were looking for on surveillance footage from a BP gas station. Police say that on May 24, 2024, the duo went to Tropic Bay Water Gardens in Davidsonville around closing time. What happened inside that shop wasn't a simple robbery.
Court documents describe a scene of extreme violence. Inside the garden center, investigators found signs of a massive struggle—overturned displays and blood. A decorative rock from the store was allegedly used as a weapon.
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The Tragedy at Tropic Bay
Edward Koza was a staple of the Davidsonville business community. He owned Tropic Bay Aquatic Garden Center, a place known for water lilies and koi ponds. He was 67. He was alone.
The details released by the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s office are difficult to read. Prosecutors allege that Poole and Dakes assaulted Koza, bound his hands, arms, and mouth with tape, and threw him into the back of his own pickup truck. They didn't stop there.
They allegedly drove Koza—still alive and bound—to a nearby gas station.
They bought gasoline.
They returned to the garden center.
They set the truck on fire with Koza inside.
The fire was so intense that when emergency responders arrived at the 600 block of West Central Avenue, they found the vehicle "fully engulfed." It was only after the flames were doused that the grim discovery was made.
A Pattern of Escalation
One of the most disturbing aspects for the Southern High School community was the realization that this wasn't an isolated "snap" moment. Before the murder, Jonah Poole was already on the radar for other crimes. Just days earlier, on May 18, he allegedly broke into the Pirates Cove restaurant in Galesville. He didn't just take money; he caused $6,000 in damage and made off with $11,000 from the safe.
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There were also hate crime charges.
On May 15, the Summit School in Edgewater was vandalized with swastikas and derogatory slurs. Security footage showed a young man in a flannel shirt with a gray shirt wrapped around his head. When police searched Poole’s home in Harwood, they found that exact flannel shirt in his closet. Fingerprints from the restaurant burglary also allegedly matched Poole.
It was a rapid, violent descent.
Legal Realities and Current Status
By the time graduation day arrived for the Southern High School Class of 2024, Jonah Poole and Kylee Dakes were sitting in a jail cell, held without bond. They didn't get to walk. Instead, they were facing a laundry list of charges:
- First-degree murder
- Second-degree murder
- First-degree assault
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Arson
As of late 2025, the legal process has been slow but moving. In October 2025, Jonah Poole was found competent to stand trial following a mental health evaluation by the Maryland Department of Health. This was a major hurdle for the prosecution, as it means the case can finally move toward a jury. Kylee Dakes waived her right to a speedy trial, and her court dates are currently slated for June 2026.
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What This Means for the Community
For the families at Southern High School, the name Jonah Poole is now a reminder of how little we sometimes know about the people sitting in the next desk over. The school's administration and the School Resource Officers (SROs) had to work closely with detectives, even using school surveillance to help identify Poole’s clothing and movements.
There is no "closure" yet.
The motive remains a black hole. Poole had briefly worked for Koza in the past, and Dakes had worked at Pirates Cove. Was it just about money? Was it a thrill? The community is still grappling with those "whys."
Staying Informed and Moving Forward
If you are following this case, here are the concrete ways to keep track of the developments:
- Monitor the Maryland Judiciary Case Search: You can search for "Jonah Michael Poole" to see upcoming hearing dates and filing updates.
- Follow Local Reporting: Outlets like The Capital Gazette and WBAL have provided the most granular coverage of the court proceedings.
- Support Local Business: The death of Edward Koza was a blow to the Davidsonville economy. Supporting small, local garden centers is a way many in the community have chosen to honor his legacy.
- Mental Health Awareness: The sudden escalation of a high school senior into violent crime has sparked local discussions about early intervention. If you notice radical shifts in behavior in a young person, reaching out to school counselors or local youth services isn't "snitching"—it's often a preventative measure.
The trial in 2026 will likely bring more details to light, but for the people of Harwood and the alumni of Southern High, the scars of 2024 are already deep.