Shivangi Sinha
In May 2014, Rebecca Schwartz found the Tarpon Springs, Florida, house she shared with her husband, Dr. Steven Schwartz, ransacked and called 911 to report what appeared to be a robbery. When the police discovered Steven’s remains in the garage, a homicide investigation was launched. Initially, the investigation did not move forward, but soon after, authorities arrested Anton Leo Stragaj, a handyman who frequently worked at the residence, after his DNA was discovered at the crime scene. Stragaj alleged that Rebecca had framed him. NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Death of Dr. Schwartz’ revisits the case and explores Rebecca’s version of events and the accusations she has faced.
Rebecca Schwartz Reported a Burglary Before Her Husband’s Remains Were Found in the House
Rebecca met Dr. Steven Schwartz in the late 1990s through a dating platform, and the two soon began a relationship that evolved into a long-term commitment before they eventually married. Her life prior to meeting Steven had been difficult. She had two sons, Ben and Eric, from previous relationships and also carried a criminal record. In the late 1980s, she tragically lost her 2-year-old son, Christopher, in a drunk driving accident. Following his death, she joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving, but reports later stated she was convicted of embezzling around $12,000 from the organization to purchase a car and a boat.
Rebecca was convicted in the embezzlement case and sentenced to repay the stolen funds, along with five years of probation. However, after meeting Steven, she appeared to have left her troubled past behind and was living a stable, comfortable life. She managed Steven’s medical office and oversaw his investments while they settled in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The couple shared a blended family that included Rebecca’s two sons and Steven’s three children from previous relationships. Reports indicate that her son Ben struggled with substance abuse and was arrested in 2011 for stealing jewelry from the Schwartz home.
In 2012, Rebecca and Steven officially married, and by all appearances, their blended family was content. However, on May 28, 2014, Rebecca placed a frantic 911 call, reporting that she had found their home in disarray and suspected a robbery. When police arrived, they discovered the house ransacked and Steven’s body lying in a pool of blood in the garage. He had been shot twice, strangled, and stabbed. Investigators quickly began piecing together the evidence and recovered DNA at the scene that matched Steven’s longtime contractor and employee, Anton “Leo” Stragaj. Upon his arrest, Leo provided his version of events.
Rebecca Schwartz Was Accused of Orchestrating Steven Schwartz’s Killing
Anton “Leo” Stragaj alleged that about six months before the crime, Rebecca had approached him to kill her husband, a request he claimed to have refused. He further alleged that she had even mentioned having Carter Schwartz killed, though he denied taking part in any such plan. According to Leo, on May 28, Rebecca asked him to retrieve her handbag from the house, saying she had forgotten it there. Upon entering, he claimed to have discovered Steven’s body and touched it, but did not contact the police. He also alleged that when he picked up Rebecca’s handbag, he saw a knife inside. When he confronted her, she allegedly threatened to withhold $75,000 he had invested with her in real estate. Leo alleged that Rebecca had orchestrated the murder, staged the robbery, and attempted to frame him. He eventually pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, though no one was ever charged with Steven’s murder.
Steven’s son, Carter Schwartz, also alleged that Rebecca orchestrated the murder to gain control of his father’s money. According to him, Steven had changed his estate plan a year before the killing, leaving everything to Rebecca. He alleged that this decision was the result of blackmail. Steven had previously been convicted in the 1961 murder of Dr. Victor Cook in Hobbs, New Mexico, and served nine years in prison. Carter alleged that Rebecca most likely threatened to expose his past to manipulate him into transferring assets to her. He further alleged that Rebecca had been exploiting Steven financially, channeling money to her son Ben and helping her other son, Eric, establish a Verizon store in Winneconne, Wisconsin.
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Rebecca Schwartz Has Not Been Found Criminally Guilty
After Steven Schwartz’s death, Rebecca Schwartz moved to Winneconne, Wisconsin, and sold his medical practice. In 2016, Steven Schwartz’s children filed a civil lawsuit against her for wrongful death. As part of the proceedings, several people close to Rebecca were deposed, including Meredith, a woman from the same town who accused Rebecca of destroying her marriage. Meredith alleged that Rebecca had befriended her, only to later seduce her husband, who eventually moved in with Rebecca along with their daughter. Devastated, Meredith said she became depressed and attempted to take her own life. According to court records, she alleged that Rebecca later visited her and coldly remarked that she should have died. During her own deposition in the civil case, Rebecca invoked her rights under Article I, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution, which protects against self-incrimination.
In March 2025, the civil lawsuit reached its conclusion. Prosecutors alleged that after discovering Rebecca’s prior embezzlement, Steven had been planning to file for divorce, which may have motivated her to orchestrate his murder. Rebecca’s legal team, however, maintained her innocence, arguing that she was also a victim who had lost her husband. The court ultimately ruled against her, ordering Rebecca to pay $200 million in damages after determining that she had “unlawfully and intentionally killed, or participated in procuring the death” of Steven. Despite this civil judgment, she has never been found guilty in a criminal court. Rebecca has declined to speak publicly, and her attorneys continue to assert her innocence.
