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Who Is Rebecca Annette Schwartz & Where Is She Now? 2025 Update & Background

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Rebecca Annette Schwartz, now 64, was once the wife of Dr. Steven Schwartz, a respected and wealthy kidney specialist in Florida. Their relationship began under curious circumstances. According to testimony, Rebecca had heard of the doctor’s financial status and allegedly staged a meeting at a local Walgreens, where he was known to shop. What followed was a lengthy courtship that culminated in marriage in 2011—though she had already changed her last name to Schwartz in 2006, well before their wedding.

As Dr. Schwartz built a thriving medical practice and expanded his real estate holdings, Rebecca inserted herself deeply into his personal and financial affairs. She managed parts of his practice, oversaw properties, and eventually began moving money, according to civil court testimony. Behind the image of marital partnership was a web of financial manipulation that would later form the backbone of a devastating wrongful death lawsuit.

Murder and a Missing Motive

On May 28, 2014, Rebecca Schwartz called 911 to report a burglary at their Tarpon Springs mansion. Police arrived to find her husband murdered in the garage—shot twice in the back of the head, stabbed, and his throat slashed. A missing kitchen knife and signs of a staged break-in added to the puzzle.

The initial investigation focused on Anton “Leo” Stragaj, a trusted handyman who had worked for the family for years. His DNA was found on the doctor’s shirt, and his alibi unraveled under scrutiny. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder but ultimately pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact. He served several years in prison before being deported to Albania.

Stragaj claimed Rebecca had asked him to help cover up the crime after allegedly committing it herself. He maintained that she was the true mastermind, citing past conversations in which she expressed a desire to have her husband killed.

Civil Trial and Financial Fallout

In 2016, Dr. Schwartz’s three children—who had been cut out of his estate—filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Rebecca. They alleged she murdered their father to avoid a looming divorce and to preserve her access to his estimated $30 million fortune. The evidence presented included extensive testimony about embezzlement, hidden offshore accounts, and luxury purchases that included yachts, homes, vehicles, and business ventures for her sons.

Rebecca invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly during her deposition. But her silence and refusal to answer key questions didn’t shield her from the consequences. In March 2025, a Pinellas County civil jury found her responsible for the wrongful death of Dr. Steven Schwartz and ordered her to pay $200 million in damages to his children.

The judgment was made possible in part by a significant turning point—her fourth husband came forward with financial records in late 2023. He provided proof of how Rebecca had helped conceal large portions of the estate through a complex network of shell companies and offshore accounts. A judge then froze her assets and placed them under a constructive trust.

Where Is Rebecca Schwartz Now?

Despite the civil verdict, Rebecca Schwartz has never been charged criminally. The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office confirmed that the case remains open, but no arrest has been made. Her legal team continues to maintain her innocence and has insisted that the blame rests solely with Anton Stragaj.

Rebecca still resides in the Tampa Bay area. Public access to her current lifestyle is limited, but according to court testimony, she had spent or diverted much of her late husband’s estate in the years following his death. Her reported purchases included a marijuana grow operation, nearly 50 rental properties, and luxury items such as a yacht and a private plane.

Her fourth marriage, like the ones before it, ended in separation. That divorce played a crucial role in exposing previously hidden assets—contributing directly to the jury’s $200 million verdict. Civil attorney Wil Florin, who represented the Schwartz children, credited the scorned ex-husband with providing the evidence needed to bring Rebecca’s financial dealings to light.

An Unresolved Legacy

To this day, Rebecca Schwartz remains a figure of intense scrutiny and controversy. While civil court found her liable for Dr. Schwartz’s death, criminal prosecutors have yet to take action. The children of Dr. Schwartz continue to call for justice, hoping that the civil judgment is not the final word in a case that has lingered unresolved for over a decade.

Her story is a cautionary tale about betrayal and greed—one that has left a permanent mark on a family, a medical legacy, and a murder that still hangs in the balance.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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