A seemingly romantic birthday meeting between two married colleagues ended in a violent death that investigators now say was anything but accidental, exposing a hidden relationship and a trail of digital and forensic clues.
The killing of Florida nurse Linda Campitelli, 35, stunned Palm Beach County when her body was discovered beside her husband's Chevrolet Tahoe in October 2024. For more than a year the case remained unresolved.
Authorities now allege the encounter had been orchestrated by her co-worker and secret lover, Rene J. Perez, who prosecutors say arranged a private rendezvous that ended in a fatal attack.
The case, detailed in a lengthy probable cause affidavit released by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, outlines a two-year affair, cryptic messages and forensic evidence that detectives say ultimately led to Perez's arrest in March 2026.
The Night Linda Campitelli Was Found
On the evening of 28 October 2024, deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of an unresponsive woman lying face down on Lyons Road near Wellington, Florida.
The victim was later identified as Linda Campitelli, a 35-year-old nurse, wife and mother of two daughters. Her body was found roughly 50 feet from a Chevrolet Tahoe registered to her husband, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in Palm Beach County court.
Deputies reported that the vehicle was still running when they arrived, and the front tyre had been punctured by a metal screw. Blood was visible on the roadway and inside the vehicle, suggesting what investigators described as 'a struggle or violent episode' had occurred.
A subsequent autopsy by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Campitelli died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso. The injuries included a fractured skull and rib fractures, along with marks indicating that the body had been dragged across the roadway.
Investigators also noted severe wear on the heels of the victim's shoes, which the affidavit said was 'clearly indicative of being compressed against the roadway while being dragged or moved with force'.
Secret Relationship Between Co-Workers
As detectives began reconstructing Campitelli's final hours, attention quickly turned to a man she had known professionally.
Court documents state that Campitelli and Rene J. Perez, 38, had been engaged in a romantic relationship for approximately two years. The pair met while working at Wellington Regional Medical Center in Palm Beach County.
Both were married to other people at the time of the relationship, according to the affidavit.
Messages obtained by investigators revealed that the two communicated frequently through WhatsApp. Detectives recovered an exchange sent the day before Campitelli's death in which she expressed uncertainty about a planned meeting.
'I LOVE YOU. I FEEL KINDA WEIRD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW,' Campitelli wrote in the message, according to the affidavit cited by investigators. 'YOU'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS FOR ME BEFORE AND I FEEL A LITTLE NERVOUS.'
Perez responded that he wanted to 'show that I can be romantic', suggesting a birthday surprise for Campitelli.
Friends later told detectives they had not been aware that Campitelli planned to meet Perez that evening. Her husband believed she had gone out with friends for dinner.
The 'Romantic' SUV Scene Turned Crime Site
Evidence recovered from Campitelli's phone suggested the meeting was intended as a private celebration.
Investigators discovered a photograph showing the rear seats of the Chevrolet Tahoe folded down, with a blanket displaying a 'Happy Birthday' message spread across the back of the vehicle. Medical absorbent sheets were also laid out on top of the blanket.
According to detectives, the same brand of medical sheets was used at Delray Medical Center, where Perez worked at the time.
Authorities believe the encounter took place in a parking area near a medical office building where Perez had previously worked. Surveillance footage captured Campitelli's vehicle arriving at the site and leaving roughly an hour later.
Blood evidence inside the SUV and DNA testing confirmed that the blood belonged to Campitelli, investigators wrote in the affidavit.
Detectives concluded that she had been violently attacked inside the vehicle before her body was transported and left on the roadway nearby.
Investigation And Arrest Of Rene Perez
Perez was interviewed by detectives in November 2024 and acknowledged the relationship with Campitelli but denied meeting her on the night she died.
He told investigators that he had cancelled the planned meeting because his child was ill. However, detectives said they found no messages supporting that claim in the couple's communications.
Surveillance footage also contradicted parts of Perez's account. Investigators said cameras showed him leaving his workplace earlier than he had reported and returning later that night before driving home.
Authorities further alleged that Perez used a second mobile phone to communicate with Campitelli and sometimes left his primary phone at work so his location could not be tracked by family members.
After months of forensic analysis, cellphone tracking and witness interviews, detectives secured an arrest warrant. Perez was arrested in Miami on 10 March 2026 and transported to Palm Beach County, where he was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
During his initial court appearance, a judge ordered that he be held without bond while the case proceeds through the judicial system.
Campitelli's mother, Edina Russo, later told reporters the arrest brought a mixture of grief and relief. 'There's a million emotions,' she said. 'I'm obviously always sad but there's a sense of closure.'
The killing of Linda Campitelli has now moved from an unsolved roadside death to a murder prosecution that prosecutors say was hidden behind a secret relationship.
