A Florida nurse is now facing serious criminal charges after authorities say he killed a co-worker he had been secretly involved with for years and left her body on a busy road. Investigators believe the case centers around a long-running affair that ended in a violent and tragic way.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Rene Perez was arrested in Miami on March 10. His arrest comes more than a year after the death of 35-year-old Linda Campitelli, a married mother of two who also worked in the healthcare field. Police say the two had been having a secret relationship for about two years while working at Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Authorities say the pair made plans to meet on October 28, 2024, to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday. Court records show the two had been exchanging frequent messages, and their conversations suggested the relationship had become complicated. Investigators said Campitelli sometimes complained about having to share Perez with his wife.
Messages from the day before their planned meeting showed Campitelli felt uneasy about the night ahead. In one message, she told Perez she felt “a little nervous” and wasn’t sure what to expect. Perez reportedly responded by telling her it was not a big deal and that he simply wanted to do something romantic for her birthday.
That evening, Campitelli left her home wearing a red dress and black heels. She reportedly told her husband she was going out to dinner with friends. Not long after she left, investigators say her Chevrolet Tahoe was spotted arriving at the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington, a place connected to Perez’s former workplace.
Authorities later discovered a photo on Campitelli’s phone showing a birthday setup prepared by Perez inside her vehicle. The photo showed a blanket with a birthday message along with medical absorbent sheets placed in the back of the SUV.
Later that night, around 10:20 p.m., multiple 911 callers reported seeing an unresponsive woman lying in the southbound lanes of Lyons Road. One caller said the woman appeared to be bleeding heavily from the mouth.
When deputies arrived, they found Campitelli’s body roughly 50 feet away from her vehicle. She was still wearing the same outfit she left home in earlier that evening. Investigators also noticed a trail of blood leading from the passenger side of the SUV to where her body was found. Her Apple Watch, stained with blood, was later recovered from the center console of the vehicle.
A medical examiner later ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head and torso. Authorities said she suffered multiple head injuries, bruises across her body, and a damaged lung. Investigators also noticed marks suggesting she may have been dragged along the roadway.
During questioning, Perez reportedly told investigators he had canceled the birthday plans because his son was sick. However, detectives said they were unable to find any messages or evidence supporting that claim.
After a lengthy investigation, authorities arrested Perez and charged him with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence. He is now being held in the Palm Beach County Jail without bond while the case moves forward.
As of now, Perez’s attorney has not publicly commented on the charges. Authorities say the investigation into the Florida murder case is ongoing as more details continue to emerge.
