Tomasz Kosowski: Florida surgeon found guilty of murdering attorney

A chilling courtroom conclusion

It’s giving absolute nightmare fuel. After a trial that’s been hovering over the community for over three years, a Florida judge has officially found plastic surgeon Tomasz Kosowski guilty of first-degree murder in the death of attorney Steven Cozzi.

Judge Joseph Bulone delivered the verdict on Wednesday after a six-day bench trial. Kosowski, who opted to represent himself and waived his right to a jury, sat through the proceedings with almost zero reaction. He now faces a possible life sentence without parole or the death penalty.

How it went down

Real talk: this case is wild. Prosecutors laid out a disturbing timeline starting back in March 2023. Cozzi and Kosowski were locked in a years-long legal battle over medical payments. According to the state, Kosowski became obsessed with his adversary, even allegedly stalking him and making threats.

Investigators say that on the day Cozzi vanished, Kosowski slipped into the law firm, ambushed Cozzi in a restroom, and hauled him out in a wagon covered by a blanket. While Cozzi never made it to their scheduled meeting, the office restroom was found spattered with his blood. Surveillance and DNA evidence later allegedly tracked Kosowski to his own home and eventually to a remote dumpster, where prosecutors believe he disposed of the body. To this day, Cozzi’s remains have never been recovered, having been buried under tons of trash at a local landfill.

Throughout the trial, Kosowski tried to maintain he was innocent, arguing it was physically impossible for him to pull off the crime in the timeframe suggested. "Not only is it impossible, physically, to do what the state asserts is required of anybody—let alone me—it makes no sense in time," he told the judge.

What happens next

The court is now moving to the penalty phase. Judge Bulone has already checked in with Kosowski to see if he wants to keep representing himself or finally hire an attorney for this critical stage. A hearing is set for October 8, and let’s just say the plot thickens as the final sentencing decision looms.

Why it matters

This case highlights the extreme lengths to which a legal dispute can spiral when boundaries are completely erased. While the verdict brings a sense of closure, the fact that a victim remains missing and the defendant chose to act as his own counsel makes this one of the most unsettling legal battles in recent memory.