Surgeon Guilty of Murder
Florida Plastic Surgeon Convicted in Murder of Attorney Steven Cozzi
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Key Points
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Investigators never recovered Steven Cozzi’s body. Cellphone records placed Kosowski’s phone near a dumpster off the Tamiami Trail; the dumpster was taken to a Collier County landfill, where authorities conducted a three-day search without finding remains.
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The conflict between Kosowski and Cozzi reportedly intensified during a January 2023 deposition. Witnesses said Kosowski confronted Cozzi in a bathroom, called him a “scumbag” and declared that he would win in the end.
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About a week before Cozzi disappeared, employees at a neighboring business found Kosowski hiding in an electrical closet. Police responding to the incident found a torch lighter and a box containing a wagon matching the type later seen in surveillance footage.
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When Kosowski was arrested, authorities found approximately $280,000 in cash, brass knuckles, a paralyzing agent and a ballistic vest bearing Cozzi’s blood in the vehicle he was driving.
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Kosowski waived a jury not only for the trial but also for the penalty phase, meaning Judge Joseph Bulone will determine whether he receives a death sentence while Kosowski continues to represent himself.
A Florida plastic surgeon has been convicted of first-degree murder in the 2023 disappearance of attorney Steven Cozzi, despite the body never being found. WSAW reports that Judge Joseph Bulone found Tomasz Kosowski guilty after a bench trial in which Kosowski represented himself. The killing allegedly stemmed from a contentious civil lawsuit where Cozzi represented defendants sued by Kosowski.
Prosecutors presented surveillance footage showing a wagon moved from Cozzi's Largo law office to Kosowski's truck, blood evidence in multiple locations, and items police found in Kosowski's possession including brass knuckles and a paralyzing agent. KALB reports authorities discovered approximately $280,000 in cash and a ballistic vest bearing Cozzi's blood in the vehicle Kosowski was driving when arrested. Kosowski now faces a penalty phase where Judge Bulone will decide whether to impose a death sentence.
Mounting Tension Over Lawsuit Erupts Into Violence
Conflict between Kosowski and Cozzi intensified sharply during a January 2023 deposition. Witnesses said Kosowski confronted Cozzi in a bathroom, calling him a "scumbag" and declaring he would win in the end. WISTV reports the feud stemmed from civil litigation where Cozzi defended clients sued by Kosowski, creating personal animosity that prosecutors argued motivated the crime.
Suspicious Behavior in Days Before Disappearance
About a week before Cozzi vanished, employees at a neighboring business discovered Kosowski hiding in an electrical closet. KLTV states that police responding to the incident found a torch lighter and a box containing a wagon — the same type later identified in surveillance footage from Cozzi's office. The discovery suggested Kosowski was preparing equipment before the killing.
Body Never Found Despite Extensive Search
Authorities were unable to recover Cozzi's body, making the case largely circumstantial on the cause and method of death. Cellphone records placed Kosowski's phone near a dumpster off the Tamiami Trail. WNEM reports the dumpster was transported to a Collier County landfill, where authorities conducted a three-day search without finding human remains or other evidence.
Kosowski challenged prosecutors by questioning whether he could have moved Cozzi's roughly 190-pound body alone, but Judge Bulone rejected his request for a courtroom demonstration. The judge found the evidence sufficient for conviction despite these gaps in the physical record.
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