More than three years after Largo attorney Steven Cozzi vanished on a workday and never came home, the man accused in his disappearance was back in a Pinellas County courtroom Tuesday. Tarpon Springs plastic surgeon Tomasz Roman Kosowski made a brief appearance as the long, stop‑and‑start pretrial process continued, while Cozzi’s family, friends and former colleagues keep waiting for a trial date and clearer answers.
Kosowski is charged with first‑degree murder in the March 21, 2023 disappearance and alleged killing of Cozzi, who worked at Blanchard Law. He appeared in court on Tuesday, as reported by WTSP, and the circumstances that led to his arrest were first detailed by the Tampa Bay Times.
What Prosecutors Say
According to investigators, surveillance footage shows a person wheeling a large cart out of the Blanchard Law office around the time Cozzi disappeared. Detectives reported finding Cozzi’s blood in the office bathroom and in vehicles linked to Kosowski. Court filings also describe the recovery of weapons, a ballistic vest and syringes that investigators say contained a paralytic agent, evidence prosecutors argue supports more severe charges. The State has filed a formal notice of intent to pursue the death penalty, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Defense And Court Schedule
The defense side of the case has been anything but straightforward. Kosowski has alternated between representing himself and working with court‑appointed or privately retained attorneys, a shuffle that has repeatedly affected the trial calendar. Reporters noted that he appeared earlier this year with court‑appointed private lawyers as part of pretrial preparation, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Public court records list the criminal matter under case number 23‑02935‑CF, with proceedings held at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater. The clerk’s online docket shows multiple pretrial settings, including deposition notices and a series of hearings scheduled into 2025. Pinellas Clerk records confirm the case number and courtroom location.
Legal Posture
The Pinellas State Attorney’s Office has filed a notice that it intends to seek the death penalty in Kosowski’s case, a decision that raises the stakes at trial and is likely to prolong the pretrial back‑and‑forth. Prosecutors cite the alleged planning involved and the nature of the physical evidence in support of that move, arguments the defense has challenged in motions and at hearings, as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
“Today, our greatest fears were realized,” Cozzi’s husband, Michael Montgomery, wrote after charges were announced, according to family posts and local coverage. The family has also pursued civil claims and continues to wait as the criminal case advances in the courts, CBS News reports.
