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A nurse from Florida is facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of a former colleague, with whom he was allegedly involved in an extramarital affair.
According to court filings, Rene Perez, aged 38, and Linda Campitelli were both married but had maintained a relationship for approximately two years, frequently communicating through WhatsApp, as noted by WPTV.
The affidavit reveals that the two planned to meet on October 28, 2024, to celebrate Campitelli’s birthday belatedly. Surveillance video captured Campitelli’s Chevy Tahoe arriving at the Retina Group of Florida Building, where Perez had formerly worked, and departing just before 10 p.m.
An image from Campitelli’s phone depicted her vehicle’s rear adorned with a “happy birthday” blanket and medical sheets similar to those used at Perez’s current workplace, DelRay Medical Center, with the back seats folded down.
Investigators suspect Perez assaulted Campitelli at this location. Her Apple Watch, found near the vehicle’s center console, had blood on it, and DNA tests confirmed that the blood in the vehicle matched Campitelli’s.
Perez, they said, transported her body in the Tahoe, apparently dragging it behind the vehicle for some distance before abandoning the vehicle — with Campitelli’s body about 50 feet away.
Campitelli suffered blunt force trauma to the head and torso, a skull fracture, rib fractures, and contusions on the upper back and neck. There were post mortem road rash injuries that were consistent with the body being dragged.
Deputies found the Tahoe still running with the front driver’s side tire flat, suggesting that the vehicle had been purposely disabled.
Later that night, Perez was seen on surveillance cameras pulling up at Delray Medical Center and throwing something near in trash near the doctor’s entrance before driving home.
Perez told detectives he had cancelled his planned rendezvous with Campitelli that night, but detectives said there were not WhatsApp or text messages to corroborate the claim. He had also bought and was using a prepaid phone.
Perez was arrested Tuesday in Miami and brought back to Palm Beach County, where he’s being held without bond after a court appearance on Wednesday.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Captain Michael Ott said at a press conference for a different case on Wednesday that investigators had interviewed “countless” witnesses, executed dozens of search warrants, and looked at hundreds and hundreds of hours” of cell phone date. But, he said, a crucial piece of that data wasn’t identified until recently, leading to Perez’s arrest.
According to Law&Crime, Perez and Campitelli, a mother of two, met when they were working together. The 26-page affidavit did not speculate on a motive for the brutal murder.