A Florida plastic surgeon has been found guilty of the murder of a 41-year-old attorney, marking the conclusion of a chilling case where the victim’s body was never recovered. Judge Joseph Bulone delivered the verdict on Wednesday, convicting Tomasz Kosowski of first-degree murder in the death of Steven Cozzi, who vanished from his law firm in March 2023.
Kosowski, who opted to represent himself and waived his right to a jury trial, maintained his innocence throughout the seven-day proceedings. Prosecutors argued that the surgeon harbored a “malicious and personal obsession” with Cozzi, who had been representing defendants in litigation against the doctor. The state presented a narrative of a man who “methodically and systematically” planned a cold-blooded execution.
Despite the absence of a body, prosecutors built a compelling case centered on forensic evidence and surveillance footage. Assistant State Attorney Nathan Vonderheide told the court that blood evidence found in the law office’s bathroom—the site of a suspected “violent event”—and inside Kosowski’s truck proved a crime had occurred. Surveillance footage captured the surgeon entering the firm with a box and departing hours later with a “very heavy” wagon, which prosecutors alleged was used to transport Cozzi’s remains to a landfill.
Throughout the trial, Kosowski challenged the prosecution’s theory, insisting that the logistical claims were “physically impossible.” He pointed to credit card transactions occurring in the weeks following the disappearance as evidence that Cozzi might have still been alive, arguing that “reasonable doubt exists in droves.” His attempts to stage demonstrations in court to disprove the state’s logistical timeline were rejected by the judge.
Following the guilty verdict, the trial immediately moved into the penalty phase. Kosowski, having waived his right to counsel for this stage as well, faces either life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors sought capital punishment based on three aggravating factors: that the murder was committed for financial gain, that it was carried out in a “cold, calculated and premeditated manner,” and that it was especially heinous. Judge Bulone ruled that the state successfully proved the first two factors, rendering Kosowski eligible for the death penalty.
The emotional weight of the trial was laid bare during victim impact statements. Cozzi’s husband, Michael Montgomery, spoke through tears of the lingering horror of not being able to bury his partner. “The most unbearable part is that we were never able to bring Steven home,” Montgomery said, urging the court to remember Cozzi for his kindness and his passion for the law, rather than the violent end he met.
Judge Bulone has scheduled a final sentencing hearing for October 8.
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