Married nurse battered to demise by lover as he ‘lured’ her to romantic birthday getaway
After nearly two years of investigation involving dozens of search warrants and extensive phone data analysis, a man was arrested for killing his coworker, he now remains in custody without bail
Rene Perez, 38, was arrested in Miami (Image: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
A married nurse was brutally beaten to death by her lover and former colleague after he lured her to a supposed romantic birthday rendezvous. She was found dead with horrific injuries as the main suspect wanted to “show her that he could be romantic”.
The suspect has now been charged with the murder of Linda Campitelli. Rene Perez, 38, was detained in Miami, Florida, USA on Tuesday (March 11), nearly 18 months after the incident which took place in October 2024. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Perez faces charges of first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence.
Campitelli, who was married and a mother, was found dead by police around 10:20pm, approximately 50 feet from her car, after several emergency calls reported an unresponsive woman.
Authorities reportedly said she had suffered severe skull and rib fractures. Court documents reveal that Perez and Campitelli, both married at the time, had been having an affair for about two years after meeting at Wellington Regional Medical Center, where they both worked.
The arrest affidavit states that on October 28, 2024, the pair arranged to meet to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday, the New York Post reported. The day before, Campitelli messaged Perez on WhatsApp, saying: “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.”
Perez replied: “LOL, IT’S NO BIG DEAL. JUST TRYING TO SHOW U THAT I CAN BE ROMANTIC.
“IT PROBABLY WONT BE AS GOOD AS WHAT YOUVE DONE FOR ME.” Campitelli left her home that evening in a red dress and black heels, telling her husband, John, she was going out with friends.
According to investigators, Campitelli’s vehicle was later found at the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington, where Perez had previously worked. Inside the car, Perez had reportedly placed a blanket reading “HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD” and medical sheets in the back.
Campitelli’s body was discovered nearby, with police noting evidence of blunt force trauma to her head and torso, as well as multiple lacerations and severe bleeding, as per the New York Post. There were signs she may have been dragged, and bloodstains were found on the car’s door handle, suggesting someone had tried to clean up.
Her blood-soaked Apple Watch was also found in the car’s centre console. Later that night, Perez was seen on CCTV walking towards his workplace at Delray Medical Center and was observed throwing an unknown item into a bin, according to the New York Post.
Perez claimed he cancelled the meeting with Campitelli due to his son’s illness, but text messages proved otherwise. After an extensive investigation, Perez was arrested nearly two years later and is now being held without bail at Palm Beach County Jail.
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