Florida Nurse Charged with Murder of Co-Worker

A nurse in Florida has been arrested on charges of murdering a co-worker and leaving his body on a busy road, following a prolonged affair.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reports that 38-year-old Rene Perez was taken into custody on March 10th in Miami. His arrest comes about a year and a half after the alleged murder of 35-year-old Linda Campitelli in October 2024.

Details from the probable cause affidavit reveal that Perez and Campitelli, who were both married, had been involved for two years while working at Wellington Regional Medical Center. They met on October 28, 2024, ostensibly to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday.

On that fateful night, authorities say Campitelli communicated her anxiety through WhatsApp messages sent to Perez. “I feel kind of weird. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” she expressed. To this, Perez replied, downplaying the situation, saying he wanted to show her some romance.

After leaving her house in a red dress and black heels, Campitelli reportedly told her husband she was dining with a friend. Shortly thereafter, her vehicle was spotted at the Florida Retina Group building, where Perez used to work.

Images retrieved from her phone indicated the presence of a blanket with a birthday message and a medical sheet, hinting at a troubling scenario.

Later that night, 911 calls reported the discovery of an unresponsive woman lying on Lyons Road, with some witnesses noting she appeared to be bleeding excessively.

Authorities found Campitelli’s body approximately 50 feet from her car, still dressed as she had been when she left home. Evidence suggested she had been dragged, and her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and torso, with severe injuries observed throughout her body.

Perez, when questioned, suggested he had canceled their plans due to his son’s illness, although investigators could not corroborate his alibi. Following a thorough investigation, he was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Perez is currently being held without bail at the Palm Beach County Jail, and his lawyer has not replied to requests for comments.