Edward Stephen Koza

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A disturbing video allegedly tied to a horrific homicide case in Maryland is making the rounds on social media — and now police are trying to figure out if it’s real.

Detectives with the Anne Arundel County Police Department confirmed on Tuesday, June 3, that they are actively working to authenticate a video alleged to be connected to the murder of 67-year-old Edward Stephen Koza, whose body was found in a burning car last month behind a Davidsonville business.

According to Fox Baltimore, Koza's arms and legs were bound, his mouth was covered with tape, and he was placed in the back seat of his pickup truck as it was set on fire. Kylee Alyssa Dakes, of Harwood, and Jonah Michael Poole, of Davidsoneville, both 18, were arrested Friday, May 31 in the killing.

The outlet shared surveillance video showing the pair at a nearby gas station where Dakes buys $10 of gasoline. Police say she used it in the fiery killing.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows Dakes purchasing $10 worth of gasoline, which investigators say was used in the fatal arson attack.

The Baltimore Banner says the video shows a white male raising a lighter to a partially-soaked paper towel draped out of the driver's side window of a pickup truck.

A female can be heard saying, "Go ahead, you're good," the outlet said.

"It better light the whole thing," the male allegedly responds.

The truck bursts into flames.

Koza, of Annapolis, was discovered late on Friday, May 24, after officers and firefighters responded to the 600 block of West Central Avenue for a vehicle fire around 9:25 p.m.

Once the fire was extinguished, first responders found a body in the passenger seat. Nearly a week later, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. The exact cause of death remains under investigation.

According to Fox, Poole previously worked for Koza at Tropic Bay Water Gardens and Dakes worked at Pirate's Cove in Galesville, which was burglarized last week. Poole was caught on the establishment's surveillance footage, where nearly $6,000 in damage was done and $11,000 in receipts were taken from a safe, the outlet said.

Poole and Dakes are facing a long list of charges, including:

  • First- and second-degree murder;
  • First- and second-degree assault;
  • Conspiracy to commit first- and second-degree murder;
  • Arson.

Investigators have not said what may have motivated the killing, or how Koza ended up inside the torched car. Officials say the investigation remains “active and ongoing.”

Police are urging anyone with information — especially about the video — to contact homicide detectives.

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” Anne Arundel Police said. “Although an arrest has been made, detectives ask anyone with information to contact them.”

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