TLDR
Florida nurse Rene Perez is charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering after investigators say digital records, surveillance video, and forensic findings contradict his account of a birthday meeting that ended with the death of 35-year-old former coworker Linda Campitelli.
Deputies in Palm Beach County responded to a late-night roadside scene where a woman lay next to her Chevrolet Tahoe, bleeding and with injuries consistent with being dragged by a vehicle. Investigators soon focused on a nurse she had once worked with, who was reportedly planning a birthday celebration with her that night. What followed is a portrait of a relationship hidden from families, and of a timeline that authorities say does not match the defendant’s story.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit filed in Palm Beach County, 35-year-old Campitelli was found around 11:15 p.m. on October 28th, 2024, lying in a pool of blood near her Tahoe. The document states that an autopsy attributed her death to blunt force trauma to the head and torso, and that the condition of her body and clothing suggested she had been dragged along the roadway after she died.
Birthday Rendezvous That Ended in a Homicide
Detectives, citing WhatsApp records between the two, reported that Perez and Campitelli agreed to meet to celebrate her birthday in the back of her Tahoe. Investigators say a photograph recovered from her phone showed the rear seats folded down, a decorative birthday banner fixed to the interior, and hospital bed sheets spread over the cargo area.
Location data from Campitelli’s phone placed her at a dimly lit parking lot outside a medical facility with little expected foot traffic on the night of her death, according to the affidavit. Deputies later documented a large head laceration, bruising around one eye, and abrasions they described as consistent with being dragged, and wrote that the backs of her shoes were so damaged they appeared to have been pressed against the pavement while she was moved.
Digital Trail That Challenges Perez’s Narrative
In an interview with detectives, Perez allegedly admitted an extramarital relationship with Campitelli that had lasted about two years and said they had planned to meet that night, but claimed he canceled because his son was sick. The affidavit states that investigators did not find any cancellation message in the communication records they reviewed.
Perez also told detectives he left work around 11 p.m., according to the complaint, yet workplace surveillance reportedly showed him leaving around 6:30 p.m. in his Honda Accord, returning shortly before midnight, then driving home. Investigators say he often left his primary phone at the office, used a second phone to reach Campitelli, and later falsely claimed the main phone was lost, even though store video captured him holding it while buying a replacement. Detectives also wrote that they believe he discarded the shoes he wore that night and used his Honda to travel near the medical center parking lot, where the rendezvous occurred.
Charges, Presumption of Innocence, and Next Steps
The 26-page affidavit, which does not set out a possible motive, led prosecutors to charge Perez with first-degree murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. He was arrested and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail, where records cited by Law & Crime indicate he is being held without bond, with a court hearing currently scheduled for April 9th.
Suspect arrested for the murder of Linda Campitelli. The investigation into the death of Linda Campitelli, which took place back in October 28, 2024, was determined to be a homicide. Through further investigative efforts, detectives identified Rene J. Perez, 38, as the suspect.… pic.twitter.com/J2HXVcauUW
— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) March 10, 2026
An obituary for Campitelli describes her as a Miami native who became a nurse, married in 2016, and had two daughters. Family members recalled her intelligence, near photographic memory, and constant planning of family outings and time with friends, details that now appear in court coverage alongside the allegations about her final hours.
Perez remains presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. As the case moves toward the next hearing, the evidence described in affidavits and the gaps around motive will be argued in open court.
