Florida Plastic Surgeon Charged with Murder in Case of Missing Lawyer | US Crime
One day last week, Steve Cozzi, in the South Florida The lawyer got up from his desk to use the restroom. He never returned to work and has not been seen since.
Police say Cozzi was at the center of a lawsuit representing the other side, where he was apparently murdered by a plastic surgeon during a bathroom break.
Cozzi’s body had not been found as of late Monday, but Dr. Tomasz Roman Kosowski has been charged with first-degree murder.
Investigators were unable to say whether they believed Kossowski, 44, murdered Cozzi, 41, because of a lawsuit filed by a doctor against his former employer. But Cozzi said in an affidavit obtained by police that he was heard by phone the day he went missing. Tampa Bay Times.
If authorities prove that Cozzi’s work did in fact make him the target of violence, it would be relatively rare, if not unprecedented. investigation According to a 2006-2018 survey of legal professionals in 28 states, approximately 33% to 53% of respondents reported being assaulted or threatened because of their work.
He was last seen on March 21, when he reportedly got up to use the bathroom at the Blanchard law firm in Largo. FloridaHe left his keys, wallet and phone behind and appeared to disappear as he answered emails and played music.
A person who noticed his absence went to the restroom to check on him.The Times reported blood on the door, the walls of the stall and the bottom of the restroom, so the person called the police.
When officers examined video captured by security cameras, they found Cozzi got the job five minutes after a man wearing a backpack, gloves and carrying a large box entered the complex. . Less than two hours later, according to police analysis of the video, a man with a rucksack was dressed and struggling to load a large, heavy cart containing bags and what appeared to be blankets into his Toyota Tundra. I know you left.
Kossowski then allegedly dialed a telephone hearing related to a lawsuit against Cozzi’s client. According to The Times, Cozzi never hooked up with the hearing or left the office building, his affidavit claimed.
Using law enforcement cameras that can read license plates, police established that the Tundra was brought to Kossowski’s home less than an hour after the hearing ended. Images taken by a license plate reader appeared to show a bag or blanket containing a human corpse on a bed in the tundra, the affidavit added.
Hours later, according to the affidavit, a license plate reader showed Kosowski’s red Toyota Corolla being driven from the area surrounding his home to Miami.
Meanwhile, back at the Blanchard office building, forensic investigators determine that someone was able to remove a large amount of blood from the floor of the bathroom Cozzi used. A fingerprint on Kossowski’s left index finger was said to have been found in the breaker room.
By Thursday, police had obtained a warrant to search Kosowski’s home and found tundra recorded by security cameras in the office building. and blood on the garage where the vehicle was parked.
They also learned that Kosowski had never registered the truck or recorded a title after purchasing it in October. .
Local police stopped Kosowski from driving his Corolla on Saturday. They searched his car and found a ballistic vest with “a good amount of blood” on it and fibers matching the color of the tundra rugs and bags. White fibers were also found in the bathroom Cozzi went to before he disappeared, as well as in the lawyer’s car parked outside the office building.
Additionally, a bag of floorboards in Kosowski’s Corolla contained a stun gun, a mask, duct tape, brass knuckles, a syringe, and an injectable sedative containing the numbing agent succinylcholine.
Police took Kosowski into custody and put him in jail early on Sunday, claiming that the body of evidence gave them a possible reason to blame Cozzi’s disappearance on him. and could even face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.
Neither Kosowski’s bail information nor attorney information was immediately available on Monday.
Kosowski sued her former employer and colleagues at the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery four years ago. He accused a woman ordered by the Laufer Institute to handle his insurance claim of not filing a claim and lying to a patient.
The lawsuit claimed that “Dr. K’s promising young career was essentially obliterated” as a result, and sought damages. His reputation was deeply damaged.
Kosowski left the Laufer Institute in 2018, primarily performing breast reconstruction surgery, and founded an independent practice.
Court filings relating to Kosowski’s lawsuit list Cozzi and Blanchard LLP as representatives of the defendants.
Cozzi’s husband, Michael Montgomery, posted a statement on Facebook on Sunday, saying his family’s “greatest fear has come true.”
“My husband and best friend were stolen from us,” Montgomery’s statement said. I knew he was the one from the day we had our first date and I just wanted to protect him and make him happy. I have.”
“We’re going to get justice,” Montgomery wrote on Facebook later Sunday.
The Associated Press contributed to the report
Summarize this content to 100 words One day last week, Steve Cozzi, in the South Florida The lawyer got up from his desk to use the restroom. He never returned to work and has not been seen since.Police say Cozzi was at the center of a lawsuit representing the other side, where he was apparently murdered by a plastic surgeon during a bathroom break.Cozzi’s body had not been found as of late Monday, but Dr. Tomasz Roman Kosowski has been charged with first-degree murder.Investigators were unable to say whether they believed Kossowski, 44, murdered Cozzi, 41, because of a lawsuit filed by a doctor against his former employer. But Cozzi said in an affidavit obtained by police that he was heard by phone the day he went missing. Tampa Bay Times.If authorities prove that Cozzi’s work did in fact make him the target of violence, it would be relatively rare, if not unprecedented. investigation According to a 2006-2018 survey of legal professionals in 28 states, approximately 33% to 53% of respondents reported being assaulted or threatened because of their work.He was last seen on March 21, when he reportedly got up to use the bathroom at the Blanchard law firm in Largo. FloridaHe left his keys, wallet and phone behind and appeared to disappear as he answered emails and played music.A person who noticed his absence went to the restroom to check on him.The Times reported blood on the door, the walls of the stall and the bottom of the restroom, so the person called the police.When officers examined video captured by security cameras, they found Cozzi got the job five minutes after a man wearing a backpack, gloves and carrying a large box entered the complex. . Less than two hours later, according to police analysis of the video, a man with a rucksack was dressed and struggling to load a large, heavy cart containing bags and what appeared to be blankets into his Toyota Tundra. I know you left.Photo of Steve Cozzi on a newscast on the WTSP station in Tampa, Florida. Photo: WTSP-TVKossowski then allegedly dialed a telephone hearing related to a lawsuit against Cozzi’s client. According to The Times, Cozzi never hooked up with the hearing or left the office building, his affidavit claimed.Using law enforcement cameras that can read license plates, police established that the Tundra was brought to Kossowski’s home less than an hour after the hearing ended. Images taken by a license plate reader appeared to show a bag or blanket containing a human corpse on a bed in the tundra, the affidavit added.Hours later, according to the affidavit, a license plate reader showed Kosowski’s red Toyota Corolla being driven from the area surrounding his home to Miami.Meanwhile, back at the Blanchard office building, forensic investigators determine that someone was able to remove a large amount of blood from the floor of the bathroom Cozzi used. A fingerprint on Kossowski’s left index finger was said to have been found in the breaker room.By Thursday, police had obtained a warrant to search Kosowski’s home and found tundra recorded by security cameras in the office building. and blood on the garage where the vehicle was parked.They also learned that Kosowski had never registered the truck or recorded a title after purchasing it in October. .Local police stopped Kosowski from driving his Corolla on Saturday. They searched his car and found a ballistic vest with “a good amount of blood” on it and fibers matching the color of the tundra rugs and bags. White fibers were also found in the bathroom Cozzi went to before he disappeared, as well as in the lawyer’s car parked outside the office building.Additionally, a bag of floorboards in Kosowski’s Corolla contained a stun gun, a mask, duct tape, brass knuckles, a syringe, and an injectable sedative containing the numbing agent succinylcholine.Skip past newsletter promotionssign up Guardian headlineFor US readers, we offer a regional version of our daily email, delivering the most important headlines every morningPrivacy Notice: The newsletter may contain information about charities, online advertising and content funded by external parties. For more information, privacy policyWe use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google. privacy policy and terms of service application.After newsletter promotionPolice took Kosowski into custody and put him in jail early on Sunday, claiming that the body of evidence gave them a possible reason to blame Cozzi’s disappearance on him. and could even face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.Neither Kosowski’s bail information nor attorney information was immediately available on Monday.Tomasz Kosowski. Photo: A.P.Kosowski sued her former employer and colleagues at the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery four years ago. He accused a woman ordered by the Laufer Institute to handle his insurance claim of not filing a claim and lying to a patient.The lawsuit claimed that “Dr. K’s promising young career was essentially obliterated” as a result, and sought damages. His reputation was deeply damaged.Kosowski left the Laufer Institute in 2018, primarily performing breast reconstruction surgery, and founded an independent practice.Court filings relating to Kosowski’s lawsuit list Cozzi and Blanchard LLP as representatives of the defendants.Cozzi’s husband, Michael Montgomery, posted a statement on Facebook on Sunday, saying his family’s “greatest fear has come true.””My husband and best friend were stolen from us,” Montgomery’s statement said. I knew he was the one from the day we had our first date and I just wanted to protect him and make him happy. I have.””We’re going to get justice,” Montgomery wrote on Facebook later Sunday.The Associated Press contributed to the report
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/28/florida-plastic-surgeon-tomasz-kosowski-charged-murder-steve-cozzi Florida Plastic Surgeon Charged with Murder in Case of Missing Lawyer | US Crime