Dental records were needed to identify Kocis’ body after firefighters responded to a call that his home was ablaze. Autopsy records indicated that Kocis was dead before the fire engulfed his residence. Luzerne County Coroner Dr. John Consalvo has ruled the death a homicide.
An open folding knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near the couch where the fire originated, but forensic tests did not reveal fingerprints because of fire damage.
Authorities believe Kocis knew his killer because there was no sign of forced entry and Kocis did not have any defensive wounds on his hands or arms. It is believed that Kocis was at home waiting for a model to film when he was murdered.
Because of a lack of physical evidence at the crime scene, Luzerne County Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. granted an order for police to obtain Kocis’ phone records and email, specifically from Jan. 18 through Jan. 25 at 9 a.m.
Homicide detectives were able to salvage parts of Kocis’ computer, and forensic scientists are analyzing the hard drive in an effort to uncover any electronic communications Kocis had before his death.
Kocis’ company catapulted in 2004 after he cast twink model Brent Corrigan in Cobra’s “Every Poolboy’s Dream.” The video put Kocis’ company on the gay porn map and Corrigan went on to become the most famous, and most lucrative, of Cobra’s pool of actors.
But Phillips had legal problems that set back his 6-year-old company and personal life.
He was sentenced in May 2002 to a year of probation for possessing a videotape that showed him having sex with a 15-year-old boy. Kocis dodged more serious charges after the boy conceded he had misrepresented his age to him.
Kocis also had additional claims of using underage models in his videos. At least four titles were voluntarily removed from circulation by Cobra's distributor, Pacific Sun Entertainment, but still are being hawked on some Internet sites.
No suspects have been named by police in Kocis’ death.
