Tragic Incident: Nurse Fatally Attacked by Colleague Amid Alleged Affair, Police Report

A tragic incident unfolded when a nurse, entangled in a romantic affair with a colleague, was allegedly murdered by him after turning her husband’s Chevy Tahoe into a secret love nest, investigators report.

The victim, Linda Campitelli, 35, was discovered lifeless beside a road in Palm Beach County, Florida, on October 28, 2024, shortly after celebrating her 35th birthday.

Linda, a mother of two and wife to Dr. Jon Campitelli, died from blunt force injuries to her head and body, according to a probable cause affidavit reviewed by the Daily Mail. Authorities have officially classified her death as a homicide.

Rene Perez, also a nurse specializing in post-anesthesia care, was apprehended in Miami on Tuesday. He faces charges of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence related to Campitelli’s death.

Authorities allege that on the night of the incident, Perez, 38, met with Campitelli in her SUV at his workplace in Wellington, Florida, to celebrate her birthday belatedly. However, a clear motive for the crime has not been disclosed by the police.

The backseats were down flat in a position that investigators said would make it easy for the pair to be intimate, the affidavit stated. 

A ‘happy birthday’ table cover was on display and medical sheets matching those used at Delray Medical Center – where Perez worked – had been laid down, photos recovered from Campitelli’s cell phone showed.

Investigators believe Perez attacked Campitelli in Wellington and then transported her body in the Tahoe to the nearby town of Lake Worth Beach, before dragging it along the road and fleeing the scene. She was found about 50 feet away from the SUV.

Linda Campitelli was found dead on the side of a road in Palm Beach County, Florida on October 28, 2024, just two weeks after her 35th birthday

The mother-of-two, pictured with her doctor husband Jon and their daughters, died from blunt force trauma to the head and body, according to a probable cause affidavit

Campitelli suffered blunt force trauma to the head and torso, a skull fracture and rib fractures.

A postmortem examination found an accumulation of blood in the skull and contusions on her upper back and neck, the affidavit said.

Her body had significant bruising and severe road rash, and her heels were worn down, disfigured, and distorted. 

Investigators said her injuries were consistent with that of being compressed against the road while being forcibly dragged.

When deputies arrived on the scene, the Tahoe – which was registered to Campitelli’s physician husband Jon – was still running, according to the filing.

The front driver’s side tire was flat and the rear driver’s door handle had transfer blood stains on it, which authorities say suggests that someone tried to wipe blood off of the vehicle.

Detectives identified Perez as a suspect in Campitelli’s murder through a trail of digital clues, including the pair’s WhatsApp messages.

Campitelli and Perez communicated daily through the platform, the filing stated. They often discussed work, familial affairs and made plans for in-person meetings.

Investigators claim the married nurse was having an affair with her colleague Rene Perez, whom faces first-degree murder charges in connection to her death

Police claim that on the night of the killing, Perez, 38, met up with Campitelli in her SUV at his workplace in Wellington, Florida for a belated birthday celebration

The pair expressed their love for one another, discussed having sex and occasionally sent ‘nude and provocative photographs,’ investigators said.

In multiple messages, Campitelli detailed her frustration with having to share quality time with Perez’s wife. 

WhatsApp messages dated October 27, 2024, revealed that the pair made plans to see each other at 7.30pm on the day she was killed.

‘I LOVE YOU, I FEEL KINDA WEIRD. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW. YOU’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS FOR ME BEFORE AND I FEEL A LITTLE NERVOUS,’ Campitelli wrote.

Perez replied: ‘LOL, ITS NO BIG DEAL. JUST TRYING TO SHOW U THAT I CAN BE ROMANTIC. IT PROBABLY WONT BE AS GOOD AS WHAT YOUVE DONE FOR ME.’

Campitelli then confirmed their meeting time and asked him if he was ‘100% sure this is ok,’ according to the affidavit.

Perez affirmed and told her ‘I love you so much.’ She said the same back to him.

The accused killer, who admitted to having an affair with Campitelli, told detectives he cancelled their October 28 meeting, but there were no messages to corroborate his claim. 

Campitelli married her husband Jon in 2016, roughly one year after they met

Surveillance cameras also captured him at Delray Medical Center the night of the murder.

Perez was arrested Tuesday in Miami and transported to Palm Beach County Jail. He appeared before a judge Wednesday and was denied bond.

Campitelli married her husband Jon in 2016, roughly one year after they met, according to her obituary. They had two daughters together.

Jon told police he believed his wife was headed to dinner with friends on the night of her murder.  

She started working as a registered nurse in 2014 and was preparing to start a new position before she died.

‘Linda was beautiful inside and out; a strong, kind, and thoughtful woman who cared about things passionately and made an impression on everyone she met,’ her obituary said.

Her relatives remember her for her ‘bold, sassy and fun-loving’ personality and for living a life that was filled with laughter and love.

Jon Campitelli did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.