NEED TO KNOW
On Tuesday, March 10, Rene J. Perez was arrested in Miami in connection to the 2024 homicide of Linda Campitelli, his alleged lover
Authorities say Perez and Campitelli have been allegedly in a two-year extramarital affair and deliberate to satisfy the night time she died
Perez, who was arrested on costs of first-degree homicide and tampering with proof, is due again in court docket on April 9
A person has been arrested in connection to the 2024 homicide of his alleged lover.
On Tuesday, March 10, the Palm Seaside County Sheriff’s Workplace confirmed that Rene J. Perez, 38, had been arrested in Miami in relation to the Oct. 28, 2024 homicide of 35-year-old Linda Campitelli. In a information launch shared on Fb, authorities mentioned Perez was taken to the Palm Seaside County Jail. He was booked on costs of first-degree homicide with a lethal weapon and tampering with bodily proof.
In keeping with a possible trigger affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, authorities responded to a number of calls about an “unknown white feminine” who was “fully unresponsive” and “mendacity within the Southbound lanes of Lyons Highway” in Lantana, Fla. One caller instructed police the lady was “bleeding profusely from the mouth” and “mendacity fully face down.”
Officers have been dispatched to the scene between 10:18 p.m. and 10:21 p.m., and Campitelli was pronounced lifeless at 10:26 p.m.
Linda Campitelli
Credit score: Linda Campitelli/Fb
An examination of the sufferer confirmed that she’d suffered a number of wounds and bruises, together with some have been in keeping with being dragged on the street’s floor with power, per the affidavit. An investigation of blood spatters within the automobile have been allegedly “clearly indicative of a wrestle or violent episode.” There was additionally proof “of somebody being severely injured and transported inside” the automobile.
Her dying was dominated a murder ensuing from blunt power trauma to the pinnacle and torso by the Palm Seaside County Medical Examiner’s Workplace, per the affidavit.
Rene J. Perez mugshot
Credit score: Palm Seaside County Sheriff’s Workplace
In keeping with the doc, first responders have been capable of determine Campitelli, who was positioned about 50 ft from a automobile that was registered to her husband, Jon Campitelli, via her iPhone that was discovered close to her physique
Authorities later spoke with Jon within the early hours of the next morning at his house. Jon instructed detectives that his spouse had left house between 7:30 p.m. and eight p.m. and mentioned she was going for dinner with associates. Mobile phone data present that he didn’t go away the home.
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Interviews with two of Linda’s closest associates revealed that she was presumably engaged in an extramarital affair with a person, who was recognized as Perez, per the affidavit. Each Linda and Perez have been married to different individuals.
An examination of Linda’s telephone data allegedly confirmed that Linda and Perez have been in frequent contact and had exchanged messages about assembly that night.
“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,” Linda allegedly wrote to Perez in messages exchanged by way of WhatsApp on Oct. 27, 2024, the day earlier than her dying.
Perez allegedly replied, per the affidavit, “JUST TRYING TO SHOW U THAT I CAN BE ROMANTIC. IT PROBABLY WON’T BE AS GOOD AS WHAT YOUVE DONE FOR ME.”
“SO TOMORROW AT 7:30…AND YOU’RE 100% SURE THIS IS OK?” Linda responded, to which Perez replied, “YES MAAM. U GOT IT. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.”
A photograph discovered on Linda’s telephone confirmed the again of her automobile with the seats down and a blanket or tablecloth studying “HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.” The affidavit famous that Ultrasorbs Medical Sheets have been additionally laid out on high of the duvet.
They’d been faraway from the automobile earlier than authorities arrived on the scene.
Perez was interviewed by police on Nov. 8, 2024, and instructed them he and Linda had been having an affair, which he mentioned had been occurring for roughly two years. It started, he mentioned, once they have been each working on the Wellington Regional Medical Heart.
Nonetheless, he denied assembly with Linda on the night time of her dying, allegedly saying that he’d contacted her the day earlier than to cancel and she or he was “extraordinarily upset.”
Linda Campitelli
Credit score: Linda Campitelli/Fb
Authorities weren’t capable of finding proof in textual content and name data to assist the declare. Extra video proof prompt that Perez “lied” to authorities in regards to the time he left work the night time of Linda’s homicide, per the affidavit.
A search of Perez’s residence confirmed that the identical model of medical sheets have been in his house. His place enterprise, Delray Medical Heart, confirmed to authorities that he had entry to the sheets.
Perez had his first court docket look on Wednesday, March 11. He appeared in entrance of Decide Donald Hafele within the fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court docket.
Per data from the listening to, he’ll return to court docket on April 9 with an preliminary case convention schedule for April 30. A bond of $50,000 was ordered. Perez can be unable to contact Linda’s subsequent of kin.
Linda left behind two daughters who have been below the age of 10 on the time of her dying, in line with The Palm Seaside Submit. She was remembered as being “daring, sassy and fun-loving.”
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