Background: The America’s Best Value Inn in Bradenton, Fla. (WFLA). Inset: Steven Joseph Cozens (Manatee County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida man who confessed to police that he stabbed his girlfriend “a lot” pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Steven Joseph Cozens, 27, was arrested on Aug. 28, 2022, and charged with second-degree murder after the body of his 26-year-old girlfriend (who was only identified as “Jennifer” under Florida’s Marsy’s Law) was found wrapped in a sheet under the bed in a room at an America’s Best Value Inn located in Bradenton. Her body was found by the housekeeping staff, who called police. Cozens was read his Miranda rights after being found by police near the scene. According to reporting by WFLA, a local NBC affiliate, he confessed to police to killing his girlfriend, saying that he stabbed her “a lot.”
The physical confrontation between Cozens and his girlfriend, who were both living at the hotel at the time of her murder, occurred after the two had a verbal argument. Cozens then reportedly told police that he then stabbed her several times. He fled the hotel after trying to conceal her body but didn’t get that far.
Cozens was held in custody without bail, and he was indicted on Jan. 17, 2023, of first-degree murder. He was scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 16 but instead pleaded guilty on Dec. 19 to second-degree murder with a weapon. A judge sentenced him to 60 years in state prison with credit for time served. He has 30 days to appeal.
Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell said in a statement provided to the press that “[d]ue to the excellent work of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit, the defendant was apprehended within hours of this murder and made a full confession. This sentence will not bring Jennifer back but hopefully it will provide some comfort to her family.”
