Nurse Charged with Co-Worker’s Murder After Secret Birthday Meeting Emerges
Authorities arrested a Florida nurse accused of killing a married co-worker nearly 17 months after the alleged slaying. Rene Perez, 38, was taken into custody in Miami on March 10, 2026.
Arrest and charges
He faces first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence charges. Officials say the murder count includes an allegation of a deadly weapon.
A judge ordered he be held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail. The nurse charged in the case faces questions after a secret birthday meeting emerges in recovered messages.
Relationship and birthday meeting
Perez and the victim worked at Wellington Regional Medical Center. Investigators say their affair lasted about two years.
They met on October 28, 2024, to mark her birthday, according to court documents. Messages show the woman felt nervous before the rendezvous and Perez tried to reassure her.
Campitelli, 35, was a married mother of two. She left home wearing a red dress and black heels and told her husband she would dine with friends.
Her Chevy Tahoe arrived at the Retina Group of Florida building in Wellington that night. An image from her phone showed a birthday blanket and Ultrasorbs medical sheets in the backseat.
Crime scene and evidence
Around 10:20 p.m., multiple 911 callers reported an unresponsive woman in the southbound lanes of Lyons Road. Callers said she appeared to be bleeding heavily from the mouth.
Officers found Linda Campitelli about 50 feet from her vehicle. Blood trailed from the passenger side of the Tahoe to the body, and a bloodstained Apple Watch was recovered from the center console.
Autopsy findings
The Palm Beach County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. Blunt force trauma to the head and torso produced the fatal injuries.
- Four lacerations on the right side of the scalp were documented.
- Investigators noted multiple contusions across the victim’s body.
- The report recorded a lacerated lung among internal injuries.
- Severe road rash and scuff marks on the heels suggested she had been dragged.
Investigation and suspect statements
Perez told detectives he canceled the birthday meeting because his son was sick. Authorities say they found no messages that supported his explanation.
After a lengthy probe, deputies arrested him on March 10, 2026. Investigators describe the incident as a co-worker’s murder, and charges include tampering with physical evidence.
Filmogaz.com reviewed court records and law enforcement statements in this developing case. Perez’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
