The Lawyer Who Vanished: Florida Plastic Surgeon Goes on Trial for a Murder With No Body

CLEARWATER, Fla. — On the morning of March 21, 2023, attorney Steven Cozzi arrived at his Largo law office for what should have been an ordinary workday. At some point that morning, the 41-year-old lawyer walked toward the men's restroom. He never returned.

His wallet, keys and cellphone remained at the office. His vehicle was still outside. Investigators say surveillance footage never showed Cozzi leaving the building.

More than three years later, his body has never been found.

Yet prosecutors say they know who killed him.

This week, 47-year-old former plastic surgeon Tomasz Roman Kosowski went on trial for first-degree murder in one of Tampa Bay's most unusual criminal cases. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. In an extraordinary twist, Kosowski is representing himself and has waived his right to a jury, leaving Pinellas County Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone to determine his guilt or innocence.

A Lawsuit Turns Bitter

The connection between the two men began with litigation.

Kosowski had sued his former employer, a Dunedin-area cosmetic surgery practice, over a dispute involving medical billing. Cozzi represented the practice and other defendants in the lawsuit.

Prosecutors contend the litigation became intensely personal.

Court filings describe a January 2023 encounter in which Kosowski allegedly confronted Cozzi in a bathroom, called him a "scumbag" and told him he would "win in the end."

Two months later, Cozzi disappeared.

According to investigators, Kosowski arrived at the law-office building around 8:30 a.m. on March 21. Surveillance footage allegedly shows him later leaving at approximately 10:22 a.m., struggling with a large, heavy cart before loading it into his Toyota Tundra.

Cozzi was scheduled to participate in a telephone court hearing at 10:30 that morning.

Kosowski called in. Cozzi didn't.

A Bathroom Covered in Evidence

Investigators found what prosecutors describe as significant forensic evidence inside the office.

Cozzi's blood was discovered on the restroom floor, on paper towels and in a drain. Prosecutors say testing also detected a mixture of Kosowski's DNA and Cozzi's blood on the exterior of the bathroom door.

Four days after Cozzi disappeared, police arrested Kosowski.

Authorities say a search of his vehicle uncovered a ballistic vest with blood on it, masks, duct tape, a Taser, brass knuckles, syringes and intravenous sedatives. Fibers consistent with the red sweater Cozzi had been wearing were allegedly discovered on the ballistic vest.

Investigators also found nearly $300,000 in cash in Kosowski's vehicle, according to court records.

But prosecutors still faced one enormous problem. There was no body.

Investigators believe Cozzi's remains may have been discarded in a remote dumpster in South Florida, but despite extensive efforts, they have never been recovered.

Prosecutors Say It Was Planned

Testimony this week has added another disturbing allegation.

Prosecutors contend Cozzi's disappearance was not an impulsive act but a killing planned in advance. A witness testified Tuesday that, approximately a week before Cozzi vanished, Kosowski allegedly hid inside an electrical closet at the law firm and left behind a wagon and cardboard box.

The state is attempting to build a timeline showing preparation, motive, surveillance, forensic evidence and Kosowski's movements before and after Cozzi disappeared.

Kosowski has pleaded not guilty.

And now he is doing something almost as unusual as the murder case itself: defending himself against the possibility of execution.

On the opening day, Kosowski declined to make an opening statement and did not cross-examine the state's initial witnesses, although he retains the ability to recall witnesses later. Prosecutors expect to continue presenting their case into next week.

For Cozzi's family, however, the case is about more than forensic evidence and courtroom strategy.

His husband, Michael Montgomery, testified this week about the morning Cozzi disappeared. He recalled Cozzi bringing him coffee, kissing him goodbye and leaving for work.

Hours later, he was gone.

Three and a half years later, Steven Cozzi has still never been found.

Now a judge must decide whether prosecutors have proved what they believe happened inside that Largo bathroom — and whether a murder conviction can be secured even when the most important piece of evidence is still missing: the victim himself.