Unveiling the Scandal: How a Doctor’s Life Was Shattered by Her Husband’s Affair

Dr. Lissette Pola, a respected osteopathic physician from Miami, once appeared to have an idyllic life alongside her husband, Rene Perez, a registered nurse. However, this picture-perfect facade began to crumble after Perez embarked on an affair with a colleague, a relationship now marked by tragedy as he stands accused of the colleague’s murder.

Pola and Perez’s journey together began with a romantic bond that led to their marriage on May 2, 2021, following a long-term relationship. Their love story was marked by shared moments of joy, such as when Perez proudly attended Pola’s graduation from Florida International University in 2012. They were a striking couple, often captured in photos smiling and embracing, with Perez playfully spraying Pola with silly string in celebration of her achievements.

Through the challenges of medical school at Nova Southeastern University, Perez remained a steadfast supporter, witnessing Pola’s transformation from a dedicated student to a practicing doctor. By the time she graduated, their lives were intertwined with plans for marriage.

Their engagement in 2016 was a testament to their commitment to one another, with their engagement photographer capturing the couple’s apparent happiness and excitement for the future. Despite these promising beginnings, the ensuing events have cast a shadow over their once-bright future together.

Perez, 38, popped the question in 2016, according to their engagement shoot photographer, and the couple seemingly couldn’t be happier.

The photographer described the pair as having the ‘kind of love that is so apparent in the way Rene looks at his fiancée’ and is ‘evident in the way Lissette holds his hand.’

The couple’s love story hit all the major milestones, including buying a gorgeous new build three-bedroom, three-bathroom house worth $940,000 in Palm Beach County in October 2020 – just six months before they exchanged vows.

They welcomed their son into the world in 2022 amid their apparent marital bliss.

Dr Lissette Pola, pictured, filed for divorce from her registered nurse husband Rene Perez in March last year, alleging that their union was ‘irretrievably broken’ and ‘irreconcilable differences exist’

Pola and Perez, at her graduation from Florida International University in 2012, tied the knot on May 2, 2021 after yearslong romance

The couple bought a new build three-bedroom, three-bathroom house worth $940,000 in Palm Beach County in October 2020 – just six months before they exchanged vows

But their fairytale romance came crashing down in October 2024 when Perez, 38, allegedly beat his mistress Linda Campitelli to death in an SUV whose back seats had been pushed down and lined with hospital bed sheets for an apparent tryst. 

Campitelli was also a nurse at Wellington Regional Medical Center and was married to Dr Jon Campitelli, with the couple sharing two children and living in an $884,700 home.  

Perez was quickly identified as a possible suspect in Campitelli’s murder and was called in for questioning just days after her death, a probable cause affidavit showed.

He admitted to being romantically involved with the married nurse, but denied being with her the night she was killed, even though surveillance footage and cell phone data placed him at the scene of the crime.

The infidelity and police investigation apparently took a toll on his marriage, as he and Pola officially separated on December 23, divorce documents since obtained by the Daily Mail have revealed.

Pola filed for divorce in March last year, alleging that their union was ‘irretrievably broken’ and ‘irreconcilable differences exist,’ according to the dissolution of marriage petition obtained by the Daily Mail.

It is unclear if the split was triggered by Campitelli’s death and the subsequent investigation into Perez.  

The divorce seemingly favored Pola, with the court granting her primary custody of their son and ownership of the marital home, the filing stated.

Dr. Lissette Pola, pictured in 2020 alongside Florida dentist Javier Prieto, separated from her husband Rene Perez in December 2024. Their divorce was finalized in April last year. The dissolution of the marriage came after he was accused of infidelity and murder

Perez attended Pola’s commencement ceremony at Florida International University in 2012. The osteopathic physician is seen receiving her degree

The osteopathic physician, whose annual salary is more than $227,000, was the household breadwinner, financial disclosure statements filed with the court showed.

Her now-ex husband, whose nursing salary brought in around $134,000 annually, was ordered to pay Pola $778 in monthly child support until their son turned 18.

He was also expected to pay 38 percent of the $1400 monthly bill for their son’s ritzy private preschool, the divorce filing said.

Pola was awarded the couple’s Lake Worth home, with the 2,475 square-foot house expected to be their son’s residence.

But the doctor sold the house for $940,000 in July 2025, just three months after her divorce was finalized, property records show.

She sold the home for $300,000 more than what the couple initially paid for the property in 2020, likely using the proceeds for a down payment on her new home – a ritzy $1.2 million mansion in Miami that features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and an in-ground pool.

Perez was arrested on March 10 and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection to Campitelli’s death.

It is unclear if he has been in contact with Pola or their son since his arrest. He has yet to enter a plea to the charges and remains in custody after a judge denied bond.

His nursing license is still active, according to state health department records. 

Perez’s mistress Linda Campitelli, pictured, was killed in October 2024. Her body was found on the side of a road in Palm Beach County, Florida

Rene Perez, 38, was arrested on March 10, 2026 and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection the killing of Linda Campitelli

Campitelli, 35, was found dead on the side of a road in Palm Beach County, Florida on October 28, 2024.

The mother-of-two, who was married to a doctor called Jon Campitelli, died from blunt force trauma to the head and body, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Perez and Campitelli met while they were both working at Wellington Regional Medical Center and were romantically involved for two years, the filing said.

Police claim that on the night of the killing, Perez met up with Campitelli for a belated birthday celebration. 

Campitelli had told her husband she was going for dinner with friends, according to an arrest affidavit seen by the Daily Mail.

Perez allegedly transformed the back of her husband’s Chevy Tahoe into a love nest, according to the affidavit.

Photos recovered from her phone show how medical sheets were laid down in the back of the SUV and a ‘happy birthday’ table cover was affixed to the ceiling, according to the affidavit, which notes that investigators think the back of the car may have been used for an assignation.

Investigators believe Perez attacked Campitelli inside the Tahoe, drove roughly 18 miles away, and abandoned the SUV. He then dragged her body along the road and fled the scene, the affidavit said. No motive for the killing has been given.

Dr Jon Campitelli and registered nurse Linda Campitelli got married in 2016. The couple are pictured in August 2022 with their two daughters

Rene Perez, right, appeared before a judge in Palm Beach County on March 11 and was denied bond. He has yet to enter a plea to the charges against him

The probable cause affidavit further outlines Campitelli’s alleged unhappiness with Perez about the amount of time he was spending with his wife instead of her.

Campitelli’s remains were found about 50 feet away from the Tahoe, which was still running when deputies arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit.

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, investigators allege. They often discussed work, familial affairs and made plans for in-person meetings, according to the probable cause affidavit.

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

The day before her death, Campitelli told Perez that she was feeling ‘a little nervous’ about the special celebration he was planning for her.

‘I love you,’ she messaged. ‘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.’

Perez told her she did not need to worry and claimed he was trying to show that ‘I can be romantic,’ the affidavit stated. He added that his romantic gesture ‘probably wont be as good as what youve (sic) done for me.’

Campitelli then confirmed their meeting time and asked him if he was ‘100% sure this is ok.’ He reassured her it was and said ‘I love you so much.’ She echoed the remark.

Linda and Jon Campitelli, seen together on vacation in May 2024, got married in 2016. They were in marriage counseling around the time she was killed

Campitelli, pictured with her children, was the primary caretaker in the couple’s household

The accused killer admitted to having an affair with Campitelli, but told detectives he cancelled their October 28 meeting because ‘his son was sick,’ the court filing said.

Investigators said there were no messages to corroborate his claim, and surveillance camera footage and cell phone GPS data places him at the scene.

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

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

Campitelli’s mother Edina Russo previously told the Daily Mail that she did not know her daughter had been cheating on husband Jon Campitelli at the time of her death.

She claimed Jon ‘adored’ her daughter and that they had been trying to work through the problems in their marriage.

‘I had no idea any of this was going on. She and her husband were in marriage counseling,’ Russo revealed. ‘My daughter was a difficult person to get along with, but her husband adored her.’

Neither Pola nor Perez’s public defender responded to the Daily Mail’s request for comment. The Campitelli family previously declined to speak to us further.