Anne Arundel County 18-year-olds charged after human remains found in burned-out vehicle

By Adam Thompson

Click here for updates on this story

    ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — Two 18-year-olds were arrested in Anne Arundel County after human remains were found inside a burned-out vehicle on May 24, according to Anne Arundel County police.

Jonah Poole and Kylee Dykes were taken into custody at a home in Harwood on Saturday, May 31. They are facing first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first- and second-degree murder, and arson.

Officers responded to a fully engulfed vehicle fire in the parking lot of the Tropic Bay Aquatic Garden Center on West Central Avenue in Davidsonville. After the fire was put out, human remains were found on the passenger side, according to police.

Investigators have determined the death to be a homicide. The Medical Examiner’s Office is working to identify the man.

Anne Arundel County police spokesperson Justin Mulcahy told WJZ that investigators were going to look for surveillance video and talk with possible witnesses.

“We’re going to talk to anybody who may have frequented that business,” Mulcahy said. “Anybody in the area of that business within the 24 hours leading up to this incident – if you have information, reach out to us. Certainly, any surveillance footage would be part of the investigation as well, or anything we can gather to assist our case right now.”

Residents react to the investigation:

The death investigation sent shockwaves through the Davidsonville area of Anne Arundel County.

Pete Best told WJZ he was playing a gig at the restaurant next door when police were investigating.

“My wife called and asked me if I heard what happened. I was just shocked,” Best said. “It doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that would happen in a small town.”

Best told WJZ that murders and vehicle fires don’t happen where they live.

“These kinds of things happen on TV, and then you go, ‘Wow, I can’t believe it’s right around the corner,'” Best said. “It kind of puts you on your heels a little bit for sure.”

Anne Arundel County murders:

As of Thursday, May 29, police have responded to seven homicide victims in Anne Arundel County in 2025, according to the Anne Arundel County crime data. There were two at this point in 2024.

Police investigated a total of 10 homicides in Anne Arundel County in 2024.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.