In a chilling case that has gripped Florida, a married mother's tragic final text messages revealed her growing suspicions before she was allegedly killed by her affair partner, a nurse, during a late-night birthday meeting. Rene Perez, 38, was arrested this week and charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of Linda Campitelli in October 2024.
Violent End to a Secret Affair
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Perez lured Campitelli, a married mother, to a parking lot in Wellington under the guise of a romantic birthday celebration. Both individuals were married at the time and had met while working at Wellington Regional Medical Center, where they engaged in an affair for approximately two years prior to the incident.
WhatsApp Messages Hint at Unease
An arrest affidavit obtained by investigators disclosed WhatsApp exchanges between Campitelli and Perez just one day before her murder. In these messages, Campitelli expressed nervousness about their planned meet-up, writing, "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 responded dismissively, attempting to reassure her with claims of romance.
Brutal Attack and Evidence Tampering
On the night of October 28, 2024, Campitelli left her home wearing a red dress and black heels, telling her husband she was meeting friends for dinner. Surveillance footage captured her Chevy Tahoe arriving at the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington around 9:59 p.m., where Perez had previously worked.
Investigators found that Campitelli suffered severe blunt force trauma to her head and torso, resulting in four scalp lacerations and a fatal accumulation of blood inside her skull. Her body was discovered roughly 50 feet from her vehicle around 10:20 p.m., with large pools of blood leading from the passenger side to her location. Evidence suggested she may have been dragged, with postmortem markings and severe road rash noted.
Bloodstains on the rear driver's side door handle appeared partially wiped away, and Campitelli's blood-soaked Apple Watch was found inside the vehicle's center console, indicating it was removed after the attack. Later that night, surveillance cameras captured Perez walking toward Delray Medical Center and discarding an item in the trash.
Investigation and Arrest
Perez initially told detectives he canceled the meet-up due to his son's illness, but text messages contradicted this claim. The investigation involved interviewing countless witnesses, executing over 50 search warrants, and analyzing hundreds of pieces of cellphone data, according to Capt. Michael Ott of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Division.
Campitelli's mother, Edina Russo, expressed a mix of sadness and closure, thanking detectives for their relentless pursuit of the case. Perez appeared in court on Wednesday and was ordered held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail, as the legal proceedings continue.
