Murder Trial Begins
Former Florida Surgeon Defends Himself in Murder Trial Over Attorney's Disappearance
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Key Points
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A witness testified that she saw a man—later identified in court as Kosowski—peering through the law firm’s windows days before Cozzi disappeared and later standing inside an electrical closet despite there being no power outage. She also said the area smelled strongly of bleach on the morning of the disappearance.
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Cozzi’s husband, Michael Montgomery, testified that Kosowski’s dispute with Cozzi had become frightening and extended beyond a normal legal conflict: “It felt like it had gone outside of that normal scope. So I just became, started becoming afraid.”
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The state alleges Cozzi was killed inside the law firm’s bathroom after leaving his office shortly before 10 a.m.; prosecutors said he was never seen again and that his body was placed in a wagon.
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After learning that police intended to obtain a DNA swab, Kosowski allegedly maneuvered his handcuffed hands from behind his back and sucked or scraped his fingers with his teeth in an apparent effort to remove possible evidence, according to video and detective testimony.
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Kosowski remained largely silent during the trial’s first day: he gave no opening statement and did not question the witnesses who testified, despite representing himself.
Former plastic surgeon Tomasz Kosowski is defending himself in a bench trial for the first-degree murder of Pinellas County attorney Steven Cozzi, who vanished in 2023 and whose body has never been found. WTSP reported that prosecutors allege the killing stemmed from a bitter civil lawsuit where Cozzi represented parties Kosowski was suing, and that Kosowski stalked his target before striking. The judge alone will decide guilt—Kosowski waived his right to a jury—and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty if convicted.
Witness Places Surgeon at Law Firm Days Before Disappearance
A witness testified that she saw a man—later identified as Kosowski—peering through the law firm's windows days before Cozzi vanished. News Nation Now reported she also spotted him standing inside an electrical closet despite there being no power outage. On the morning Cozzi disappeared, the area smelled strongly of bleach, the witness said.
Cozzi's husband, Michael Montgomery, described the dispute as terrifying. "It felt like it had gone outside of that normal scope," Montgomery testified, according to Fox 13 News. "So I just became, started becoming afraid." The attorney reportedly left his office around 10 a.m. and was never seen again.
Surveillance Ties Gray Truck to Body Transport
Prosecutors presented surveillance footage, license-plate readers, and transit cameras that tracked a gray Toyota Tundra carrying a wagon covered by a blanket. Daily Mail reported the wagon appeared to contain a body. Evidence linked the truck to Kosowski's home, establishing his connection to the vehicle during the critical timeframe.
After Cozzi vanished, the wagon was transported and allegedly disposed of in a dumpster. WTSP reported that police recovered the vehicle and connected it directly to Kosowski through multiple digital tracking methods, building a timeline of movement from the law firm to his residence.
Arrest Items Paint Picture of Premeditation
Officers arrested Kosowski while he was allegedly driving with a "murder bag" containing masks, a Taser, brass knuckles, and a crowbar, Daily Mail reported. The items suggested planning and preparation for violence. Prosecutors used the bag's contents to argue Kosowski came prepared to attack.
After police informed Kosowski they would obtain a DNA swab, video footage and detective testimony showed him attempting to destroy evidence. Fox 13 News reported he maneuvered his handcuffed hands from behind his back and allegedly sucked or scraped his fingers with his teeth to remove possible DNA.
Defense Has Not Presented Its Case
Kosowski remained silent during the trial's first day. Daily Mail reported he gave no opening statement and asked no questions of the witnesses who testified, despite representing himself. This unusual strategy left his defense entirely unexplained as prosecutors built their case through evidence and witness accounts.
The case will proceed with the judge evaluating all evidence to determine guilt or innocence. If convicted, Kosowski faces potential capital punishment. The trial continues as Kosowski's defense team—consisting of only himself—prepares to respond to the prosecution's allegations.
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