Tomasz Kosowski is a former Florida plastic surgeon who was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of attorney Steven Cozzi. Cozzi disappeared from his Largo law office in March 2023, and his body has never been recovered.
The case drew national attention because prosecutors built their case without recovering a body. It also involved an unusual courtroom strategy: Kosowski waived his right to a jury and represented himself during the September 2026 bench trial.
On September 23, 2026, Pinellas County Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone found Kosowski guilty after hearing seven days of testimony. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. As of September 24, 2026, the sentencing phase remains the next major stage of the case.
Who is Tomasz Kosowski?
Tomasz Roman Kosowski, 47, is a former plastic surgeon who practiced in Florida. He had advanced academic and medical training and was associated with cosmetic-surgery practices in the Tampa Bay and South Florida areas.
Before the murder case, Kosowski was involved in a civil lawsuit against the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery and people connected to the practice. He represented himself in that lawsuit. Steven Cozzi was an attorney representing parties on the opposing side of the dispute.
That legal conflict became central to the murder prosecution. The state argued that Kosowski developed a personal fixation on Cozzi and planned an attack after becoming angry about the civil case. Those claims were allegations before trial; the judge later found Kosowski guilty after considering the prosecution’s evidence.
Kosowski’s professional background was also significant because prosecutors alleged he used medical knowledge and surgical materials as part of a carefully prepared killing. Evidence discussed in court included references to the drug succinylcholine, a paralytic medication, although the prosecution’s broader case rested on multiple strands of physical, digital and circumstantial evidence.
What happened to Steven Cozzi?
Steven Cozzi was a 41-year-old attorney who worked at Blanchard Law in Largo, Florida. On March 21, 2023, he went into a bathroom at the firm and did not return.
Employees became concerned when Cozzi failed to attend a scheduled remote court hearing. Investigators later found blood and other evidence in the law-office bathroom. Surveillance footage showed a person believed to be Kosowski entering the building with items including a backpack, gloves and a large box, according to evidence presented during the case.
Prosecutors said Kosowski had prepared the location in advance. A witness testified that, about a week before Cozzi disappeared, Kosowski had hidden in an electrical closet at the law office and left behind equipment that prosecutors linked to their theory of the crime, including a wagon and cardboard box.
The state argued that Kosowski attacked Cozzi in the bathroom, moved him from the building and transported him in a truck. Cozzi was never seen leaving the office on surveillance footage, and investigators never located his remains.
What evidence was presented in the Tomasz Kosowski trial?
The prosecution’s case combined forensic evidence with surveillance footage, vehicle evidence, computer activity and testimony about Kosowski’s conduct before and after Cozzi vanished.
Among the most important evidence described in court were:
- Blood evidence: Investigators testified about blood found in the bathroom where Cozzi was last seen and about evidence found elsewhere during the investigation.
- DNA evidence: Prosecutors presented evidence linking Cozzi’s DNA to Kosowski’s truck. The defense challenged the significance of some forensic findings.
- Surveillance footage: Investigators said video showed a person believed to be Kosowski entering the law office with equipment and later leaving with a cart.
- Vehicle and disposal evidence: The state argued that a large container, wagon and other items were consistent with an effort to move and conceal a body.
- Digital and medical research: Prosecutors pointed to searches involving succinylcholine and related medical information as evidence of preparation.
- Prior conduct: Witnesses described encounters that prosecutors characterized as surveillance or stalking near Cozzi’s home and workplace.
Because Cozzi’s body was never found, the prosecution had to prove death through circumstantial evidence. Florida law does not require prosecutors to recover a body to obtain a murder conviction, but the state still had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Cozzi was killed and that Kosowski committed the crime.
Kosowski questioned parts of the evidence during the trial and challenged the prosecution’s interpretation of what happened. However, because he chose to act as his own lawyer, his defense was unusual and often limited. Court coverage described him as largely silent during portions of the state’s presentation.
Why did Tomasz Kosowski represent himself?
Kosowski dismissed his defense attorneys and chose to represent himself, despite facing a first-degree murder charge and the possibility of a death sentence.
He also waived his right to a jury trial. That decision meant Judge Joseph Bulone, rather than a panel of jurors, would determine whether Kosowski was guilty. Kosowski made the same choice regarding the penalty phase.
The judge questioned Kosowski about the decision, but Kosowski did not provide a detailed public explanation for why he preferred a bench trial. Representing oneself in a capital case is highly unusual because murder trials involve complex rules of evidence, forensic testimony and constitutional issues.
During the proceedings, Kosowski occasionally questioned witnesses and raised objections. He also made several courtroom requests that attracted attention, including asking a prosecutor to step into a trash bag as part of a demonstration related to the state’s evidence.
What was the verdict in the surgeon’s murder trial?
On September 23, 2026, Judge Bulone found Kosowski guilty of first-degree murder in Steven Cozzi’s death. The judge reportedly reached the verdict after a short period of deliberation following the close of evidence and closing arguments.
The guilty verdict means the court accepted the prosecution’s argument that Cozzi was murdered even though his body was not recovered. It also establishes Kosowski’s criminal responsibility for the killing under the legal standard required in Florida.
The verdict was not a finding that every detail discussed publicly was proven. Some elements of the case, including the exact location of Cozzi’s remains and the full sequence of events after he was removed from the law office, remain unknown.
Could Tomasz Kosowski receive the death penalty?
Yes. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Kosowski has waived a jury for the penalty phase and indicated that he intends to continue representing himself.
The sentencing process requires the court to consider aggravating and mitigating circumstances. A murder conviction does not by itself guarantee a death sentence. The judge must evaluate the evidence and apply Florida law before deciding whether capital punishment is legally appropriate.
As of September 24, 2026, no final sentence had been reported. Kosowski could face the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, depending on the outcome of the penalty phase and any later legal proceedings.
What remains unknown about the case?
The most significant unanswered question is where Steven Cozzi’s body is located. Despite the investigation and the evidence presented at trial, his remains have not been recovered.
The case also leaves uncertainty about the precise method of death and the exact route investigators believe was used to dispose of Cozzi’s body. Prosecutors presented a reconstruction based on physical evidence and witness testimony, but a reconstruction is not the same as a recovered body or a complete eyewitness account.
Those unresolved details may become important during appeals and later court filings. Kosowski’s conviction can also be challenged through the normal appellate process, although the specific grounds and timing of any appeal were not established in the material available for this report.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is Tomasz Kosowski?
Tomasz Kosowski is a former Florida plastic surgeon who was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of attorney Steven Cozzi.
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Who was Steven Cozzi?
Steven Cozzi was a 41-year-old Largo attorney who disappeared from his workplace in March 2023.
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Was Steven Cozzi’s body found?
No. Cozzi’s body has not been recovered.
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What was Tomasz Kosowski convicted of?
A judge found Kosowski guilty of first-degree murder in Cozzi’s death on September 23, 2026.
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Did Tomasz Kosowski have a jury trial?
No. He waived his right to a jury and allowed Judge Joseph Bulone to decide the case.
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Did Tomasz Kosowski represent himself?
Yes. Kosowski dismissed his lawyers and acted as his own attorney during the murder trial.
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Why was Kosowski linked to Cozzi’s disappearance?
Prosecutors cited a civil dispute involving Cozzi, surveillance footage, blood and DNA evidence, vehicle evidence, digital searches and testimony about alleged planning.
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Has Tomasz Kosowski been sentenced?
As of September 24, 2026, the sentencing phase was still pending. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The Tomasz Kosowski case became known as a rare no-body murder prosecution involving a former surgeon, a missing attorney and a bitter civil dispute. The judge’s September 23, 2026 guilty verdict resolved the question of criminal responsibility, but Cozzi’s missing remains and Kosowski’s final sentence remain central to the case’s next chapter.
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