Rene Perez, 38, was arrested March 10 in Miami and charged in the alleged Oct. 28, 2024 killing of 35-year-old Linda Campitelli, a married mother and co-worker. Authorities say the two had an ongoing two-year affair and met to mark Campitelli’s birthday; messages show she was nervous about the rendezvous. Campitelli’s body was found about 50 feet from her vehicle, and the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide from blunt force trauma. Perez faces first-degree murder and evidence-tampering charges and is being held without bond.
Florida Nurse Arrested on Murder Charges After Alleged Secret Birthday Meeting
Nurse accused of killing married co-worker as messages reveal secret birthday rendezvous
Rene Perez, 38, was arrested March 10 in Miami and is accused of killing his married co-worker, Linda Campitelli, 35, following an alleged birthday meeting in October 2024, authorities said.
Timeline and Allegations
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by investigators, Perez and Campitelli—both married and employed at Wellington Regional Medical Center—had carried on a two-year extramarital affair. The pair arranged to meet on Oct. 28, 2024 to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday.
“I LOVE YOU, I FEEL KINDA WEIRD. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW. YOU’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS FOR ME BEFORE AND I FEEL A LITTLE NERVOUS,” Campitelli wrote in a WhatsApp message the day before the meeting, the affidavit says. Perez replied that he was just trying to be romantic.
What Investigators Say Happened
Court records indicate Campitelli left home that evening in a red dress and black heels after telling her husband she was going out with friends. Phone and surveillance data place her Chevrolet Tahoe at the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington, where Perez had worked.
Images recovered from Campitelli’s phone allegedly show a birthday blanket in the backseat and Ultrasorbs medical sheets, items investigators say were placed there by Perez. Around 10:20 p.m., multiple 911 callers reported an unresponsive woman lying in the southbound lanes of Lyons Road; one caller said the person appeared to be “bleeding profusely from the mouth.”
Campitelli’s body was found roughly 50 feet from the vehicle, wearing the same outfit she had left home in. Authorities reported a trail of blood from the passenger side of the Tahoe to the body and recovered a bloodstained Apple Watch from the vehicle’s center console.
Medical Examiner Findings and Charges
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner ruled Campitelli’s death a homicide, citing blunt force trauma to the head and torso. Reported injuries included multiple lacerations and contusions, a lacerated lung, and severe road rash and scuff marks that investigators say are consistent with dragging.
Perez was arrested by Palm Beach County deputies and charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence. He was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and ordered held without bond. Prosecutors say they found no messages supporting Perez’s claim that he canceled the birthday celebration because his son was ill. Perez’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ongoing Case
The allegations detailed above come from investigative reports and a probable cause affidavit; Perez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate and has released limited details as the case moves through the legal system.
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