Plastic surgeon accused in lawyer’s death was in Miami-Dade before arrest, police say

A Miami plastic surgeon accused of killing a lawyer in the Tampa area was driving around South Florida days before he was arrested. Miami-Dade police are now turning to the public for tips.

Miami-Dade detectives believe Dr. Tomasz Kosowski drove a red Toyota Corolla with a license plate number of EMF K38 in Miami-Dade between March 21 and March 26. The department’s homicide bureau is now assisting Largo police in the investigation.

Kosowski, 44, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge Saturday night. Largo police still haven’t located attorney Steven Cozzi’s body but said their investigation of his disappearance led to Kosowski’s Tarpon Springs door.

READ MORE: He was a Miami cosmetic surgeon. Now, he’s accused of murdering a missing lawyer

The killing, however, may be tied to previous legal action.

In 2019, Kosowski filed a lawsuit in Pinellas County against Laufer Institute of Plastic Surgery in Dunedin, where he began to work in 2016. The lawsuit blames the person handling the billing for insurance problems that affected Kosowski’s payment, customer service and satisfaction.

“As a direct result of [the biller’s] incompetence, and outright lies, as well as that of the remaining Defendants, Dr. K’s reputation has been greatly harmed, which may likely never be rehabilitated,” the lawsuit says.

One of the attorneys representing the plastic surgery center: Cozzi of Blanchard Law.

On March 21, Largo police got a call that Cozzi had left his office but left behind his wallet, keys and cellphone. His car was still parked at the office’s lot, and no one saw him leave.

“During the investigation, there was a strong chemical odor in the men’s bathroom of the office and small drops of blood,” Largo police said. “A subsequent forensics investigation revealed a significant amount of blood in the same bathroom.”

Kosowksi fell into police’s radar after a suspicious person and car were spotted at the office around the time of the death. After hitting his home with a search warrant, they took him into custody.

Though he practiced in the Tampa area, Kosowski had his official license address listed as 8396 SW 8th St. in Westchester, the address of Xiluet Plastic Surgery, according to Florida Department of Health records.

Xiluet has two pending administrative complaints against it, one alleging shortcomings in its office surgery setting and another alleging state inspectors were prevented from entering a year later. Both occurred after the death of a Brazilian butt lift patient. That death didn’t happen under Kosowski’s care.

READ MORE: Xiluet Plastic Surgery blocks state inspectors from entering, complaint says

A Google search turns up a page for Kosowski at Kendall Plastic Surgery’s website. It’s now a dead link. Kosowski is also licensed in Georgia, according to department of health records.

Anyone with information about Kosowski’s car or whereabouts from March 21 to March 26 should contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

Miami Herald staff writer David J. Neal contributed to this report.