A former Maryland koi pond employee has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the brutal murder of his boss. Jonah Michael Poole, 19, pleaded guilty in March to the first-degree murder of Edward Stephen Koza, 67, the owner of Tropic Bay Water Gardens in Davidsonville.
Poole was sentenced Friday by Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Cathleen Vitale. He also received an order to forfeit approximately $215,000 stolen from Koza and a truck valued at about $15,000, which authorities said was purchased with stolen funds. Due to Poole's age, the judge directed he be referred to the Patuxent Youth Facility's Youthful Offender Program, a rehabilitative facility.
During the sentencing, Poole expressed remorse, stating, "I think I deserve whatever I get. I'm sorry because he didn't have to die and I have no excuses for what I did." He acknowledged putting others "through hell" following Koza's death.
The crime came to light on May 24, 2025, when Koza's pickup truck was discovered engulfed in flames in the Tropic Bay Water Gardens parking lot. Investigators found Koza's body inside. Authorities reported that Koza's arms, hands, and mouth had been bound with duct tape. Evidence of a violent struggle, including broken items, a knife, and a bloodied koi pond rock, was found inside the business. Koza suffered severe facial injuries and thermal burns.
Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station and video from Poole's cellphone were crucial evidence. Prosecutors presented cellphone footage showing Poole pouring gasoline into Koza's truck, igniting paper towels, and setting the vehicle on fire with the victim inside. Snapchat messages exchanged between Poole and his co-defendant, Kylee Alyssa Dakes, were also cited. In one message, Poole allegedly wrote that "it went so well," and described Dakes as "worth killing for."
Dakes, 19, Poole's former girlfriend, is charged with first-degree murder. She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in December.
Koza was described by colleagues as a generous businessman who created a "magical place" at Tropic Bay Water Gardens, a family-run business specializing in koi ponds and aquatic plants. Employees testified to his kindness, noting he frequently cared for customers' fish while they were away and allowed people to store plants in his greenhouse.
Judge Vitale commented on the brutality of the crime, stating she had "restless nights over this case." She indicated that but for the negotiated plea agreement, she would have considered sentencing Poole to life without parole.
Poole's defense attorney, David Fischer, had sought a lesser sentence, citing Poole's difficult upbringing and mental health struggles, though he conceded the crime was "indefensible."