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A Florida nurse is accused of brutally murdering her married co-worker and leaving his body on a busy street following a years-long feud between the two.
Rene Perez, 38, was arrested in Miami on Tuesday, March 10, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Perez’s arrest comes about a year and a half after authorities say he beat Linda Campitelli, 35, a married mother of two, to death in October 2024, police said.
The two — who were married and dated for two years while working at Wellington Regional Medical Center — met on Oct. 28, 2024 to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
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Linda Campitelli, 35, was found beaten to death about 50 feet from her car on the side of Lyons Road in Wellington, Florida on Oct. 28, 2024, according to authorities. (Linda Campitelli/Book of Life)
Both Perez and Campitelli exchanged frequent text messages, with Campitelli complaining that he should spend time with Perez and his wife, according to authorities.
Just one day earlier, WhatsApp messages between the two showed that Campitelli was feeling “a little nervous” about their planned meeting, authorities said.
“I LOVE YOU, I FEEL REAL. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW. YOU HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS FOR ME BEFORE AND I FEEL LIKE A CHILD,” Campitelli wrote, according to the affidavit.
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“LOL, NO BIG MONEY. TRYING TO SHOW YOU I CAN LOVE. IT PROBABLY WON’T BE AS GOOD AS YOU MADE IT,” Perez replied.
Rene Perez, 38, was arrested on charges of murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence in Miami on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, according to PBSO. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
Campitelli left her home that night wearing a red dress and black heels after telling her husband she was going out to dinner with friends, court documents said.
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Shortly after leaving, his Chevy Tahoe arrived at Perez’s former job, the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington.
A photo found on Campitelli’s iPhone showed a blanket that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY IS OUT OF THIS WORD” placed by Perez in the back seat of his Tahoe, along with Ultrasorbs Medical Sheets commonly used to absorb fluids, according to the affidavit.
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Around 10:20 p.m., multiple calls to 911 reported an unresponsive woman lying on the sidewalk south of Lyons Road, with one caller telling authorities the person appeared to be “bleeding profusely from the mouth,” authorities said.
Linda Campitelli was last seen wearing a red dress and black heels before leaving her home to meet her boyfriend Rene Perez for a birthday party in Wellington, Florida on October 28, 2024, according to authorities. (Linda Campitelli/Facebook)
Authorities recovered Campitelli’s 50-year-old body from his car. He was wearing the same clothes he left the house in, and “there was blood coming from the passenger side of the Chevrolet Tahoe towards the victim’s body,” officials said. His bloody Apple Watch was found on the center console.
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Following an investigation by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s office, Campitelli’s death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen.
He has four lacerations on the right side of his head, multiple bruises on his body and a burst lung, among other injuries. Road rash and scuff marks on her heels also suggest she was dragged.
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After speaking with investigators, Perez said he canceled a birthday celebration with Campitelli because his son was sick — even though investigators did not find any messages confirming his alibi, according to the affidavit.
After a lengthy investigation, Perez was arrested on charges of murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence, according to PBSO.
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Perez was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where a judge ordered that he be held without bond.
An attorney for Perez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
