Tomasz Kosowski went from a well-known Florida plastic surgeon to a murder defendant, and his name is trending because closing arguments in his trial are happening right now. This guide explains who he is, what he is accused of, and what has actually been confirmed about his case and background, without guessing at anything that hasn’t been proven.
Background
Tomasz Roman Kosowski is a former plastic surgeon from the Tampa Bay area of Florida who once built a public following under the nickname “Doctor Tampa Bay” while working at a Clearwater cosmetic surgery practice. He is charged with first-degree murder in the 2023 death of Largo attorney Steven Cozzi, and his body has never been recovered.
People are searching his name now because his trial has been unfolding in a Pinellas County courtroom through most of September 2026, and it has drawn national attention for an unusual reason: Kosowski gave up his right to a lawyer and a jury, choosing instead to represent himself in front of a single judge who will decide whether he lives or faces execution.
Latest Update
As of September 23, 2026, here is what is currently known.
Trial status: Prosecutors rested their case on September 22, 2026, after six days of testimony from 56 witnesses. Kosowski chose not to testify or call any witnesses of his own. Closing arguments were scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on September 23, 2026, before Pinellas County Judge Joseph Bulone, who will decide the verdict without a jury.
No verdict has been publicly announced as of this writing. Because Kosowski waived his right to a jury for both the guilt phase and any penalty phase, Judge Bulone alone will determine whether the state proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and if convicted, whether the case moves into a separate sentencing phase where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Any claim that a verdict has already been reached should be treated as unconfirmed until a court order or credible news outlet reports it directly.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Public reporting describes Kosowski as someone who came to the United States with little money and built his career from there, according to a friend quoted in local news coverage. Specific details about his childhood, birthplace, or immediate family have not been confirmed in verifiable public records, so those details are left open rather than assumed.
Career Path
Kosowski earned his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in 2007 and completed a residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center along with several plastic surgery fellowships, including time at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He began working at the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in Clearwater, Florida, in 2016, focusing largely on breast reconstruction and body-contouring procedures, and he later practiced in Miami as well.
His legal troubles began with a civil lawsuit he filed against former colleagues at the Laufer Institute, claiming a billing employee mishandled his insurance claims and damaged his reputation. Steven Cozzi was the attorney representing the people Kosowski sued. Prosecutors allege Kosowski killed Cozzi inside the law firm’s bathroom in March 2023, then moved the body using a cart and disposed of it before driving south, only to turn around and head back toward home, where he was later arrested. His medical license in Florida is now listed as inactive.
Age
Tomasz Kosowski is 47 years old as of his September 2026 trial. He was reported as 44 at the time of his arrest in 2023.
Religion
No religious affiliation for Kosowski has been reported in verifiable sources, so this detail is unconfirmed.
Spouse/Partner
No marriage or partner has been publicly confirmed for Kosowski in credible reporting on his case. This detail should be treated as unconfirmed rather than assumed to be either true or false.
Net Worth
There is no verified, sourced net worth figure available for Kosowski. His civil lawsuit claimed that billing problems cost him significant income, but no official financial disclosure or court filing with a specific net worth has been made public.
Parents
The names and background of Kosowski’s parents have not been confirmed in public records reviewed for this article.
Height
No verified height figure for Tomasz Kosowski appears in any credible public record.
Education
According to Florida Department of Health records, Kosowski earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of New Mexico before attending Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine, graduating in 2007 with both a medical degree and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business. He completed his residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from 2008 to 2014 and finished three separate plastic surgery fellowships between 2007 and 2015. In court, he has also referenced holding a degree in music and a biochemistry degree, though those specific claims have not been independently verified through outside records.
Hometown/State of Origin
Kosowski most recently lived and worked in the Tarpon Springs and Clearwater areas of Pinellas County, Florida. His country of birth has not been confirmed in verifiable public sources, so it is not stated here as fact.
Official Reference Link
Kosowski does not have a known active official social media account, and none should be assumed to represent him given the nature of ongoing coverage. For verified case updates, the Tampa Bay Times’ ongoing trial coverage is a credible primary source.
Quick fact check: Kosowski has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent unless and until a verdict says otherwise. Nothing in this article should be read as confirming guilt ahead of the court’s ruling.
Case Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Kosowski joins the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in Clearwater, Florida |
| March 21, 2023 | Attorney Steven Cozzi disappears from his Largo law office; prosecutors say he was killed that day |
| 2023 | Kosowski is arrested and charged with first-degree murder |
| Early September 2026 | Kosowski’s legal team withdraws; he chooses to represent himself and waives a jury |
| September 15–22, 2026 | Trial testimony takes place over six days; prosecution rests its case |
| September 23, 2026 | Closing arguments begin; judge to decide the verdict |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Who is Tomasz Kosowski?
Tomasz Kosowski is a former Florida plastic surgeon on trial for the first-degree murder of attorney Steven Cozzi. He previously practiced at the Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in Clearwater and later in Miami.
What is Tomasz Kosowski accused of?
Prosecutors say Kosowski killed attorney Steven Cozzi inside a Largo law office bathroom in March 2023 and then disposed of his body, which has never been found. He has pleaded not guilty.
Is Tomasz Kosowski representing himself in court?
Yes. Kosowski waived his right to an attorney and is acting as his own lawyer for both the trial and any potential sentencing phase.
Did Tomasz Kosowski have a jury trial?
No. He waived his right to a jury, so Pinellas County Judge Joseph Bulone alone is deciding the verdict in a bench trial.
Has a verdict been reached in the Tomasz Kosowski case?
As of September 23, 2026, no verdict has been publicly announced. Closing arguments were scheduled for that morning, with the judge’s decision expected afterward.
What is the connection between Tomasz Kosowski and Steven Cozzi?
Cozzi was the attorney representing former colleagues of Kosowski’s in a civil lawsuit Kosowski had filed over insurance billing issues at his old practice. Their contentious legal dispute is central to the prosecution’s theory of a motive.
Could Tomasz Kosowski face the death penalty?
Yes. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty if Kosowski is convicted of first-degree murder, and he has waived a jury for that phase as well, leaving the decision to the judge.
Wrap-Up
Tomasz Kosowski’s case has drawn attention less for typical courtroom drama and more for how unusual his defense strategy has been — a highly educated professional choosing to face a possible death sentence without a lawyer or a jury standing between him and the judge’s decision. His academic and medical credentials make the contrast with the murder charge especially striking to people following the story.
What happens next depends entirely on Judge Bulone’s ruling, expected shortly after closing arguments conclude. Until that ruling is issued, every detail about Kosowski’s guilt or innocence remains a legal question, not a settled fact, and this page will reflect only what has been verified through court proceedings and credible reporting.
 Several personal details about Kosowski — including his exact net worth, religion, marital status, and place of birth — are not documented in any verifiable public source as of this writing. This article leaves those blank instead of guessing, and it will be updated if reliable information becomes available.
Thomas Andrew is the founder of Odubio.com, a digital platform sharing inspiring biographies, news, and stories about global icons and achievers.