A chilling final text message sent by 35-year-old Linda Campitelli to her alleged lover has surfaced in the investigation into her brutal 2024 murder: “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.” The message, exchanged via WhatsApp on October 27, 2024, the day before her death, now takes on a haunting significance following the March 10, 2026, arrest of Rene J. Perez, 38, charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence in connection with her killing.

Linda Campitelli, a registered nurse and devoted mother of two young daughters, was found dead on the evening of October 28, 2024, lying in a pool of blood beside her Chevy Tahoe on the 6100 block of Lyons Road in Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Florida. Deputies responded around 11:15 p.m. after reports of an unresponsive woman near the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner later ruled her death a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to the head and torso, including skull and rib fractures, contusions on the neck and upper back, and postmortem marks consistent with her body being dragged along the pavement—her heels worn down from the apparent movement.

Investigators from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office conducted a 17-month probe that ultimately pointed to Perez, a former coworker at Wellington Regional Medical Center (and later associated with Delray Medical Center), where Campitelli also worked. Authorities allege the pair had been engaged in a secret extramarital affair for approximately two years. Both were married to other people and had children; their communications were frequent and intimate, involving daily WhatsApp messages, explicit photos, and expressions of affection.

The WhatsApp exchanges from October 27 reveal plans for a surprise rendezvous to celebrate Campitelli’s recent birthday. Perez had arranged what he described as a romantic gesture, prompting her nervous but excited response. In one exchange, she wrote about feeling “kinda weird” and unsure what to expect since he had “never done anything like this” for her before. Perez reassured her: “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.” She confirmed the time—7:30 p.m.—and asked if he was “100% sure this is OK,” to which he replied affirmatively, ending with “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.”

Surveillance footage, digital forensics from phones, and analysis of the scene helped build the case against Perez. Authorities believe the meeting occurred inside or near Campitelli’s Tahoe, where she was allegedly attacked with blunt force. Her body was then reportedly transported in the vehicle and dragged along the road before being left behind. Perez is accused of tampering with evidence to conceal the crime.

Perez was arrested in Miami on March 10, 2026, following the issuance of an arrest warrant. He was transported to Palm Beach County Jail and is being held without bond. If convicted of first-degree murder, he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. No motive has been publicly detailed in the probable cause affidavit, though the long-term affair and sudden violence have left many speculating about possible tensions in the relationship.

Campitelli was remembered by colleagues, friends, and family as a bold, warm, and admirable woman who balanced her demanding nursing career with deep devotion to her two daughters. Her mother, Edina Russo, had publicly pleaded for justice in the months following the discovery, expressing gratitude toward detectives who persisted in the investigation. “The detective never gave up on the case,” she said in interviews after the arrest. The family has mourned the loss of a vibrant mother whose life was cut short in what was supposed to be a celebratory evening.

The case has shocked the local healthcare community in Palm Beach County, where both Campitelli and Perez worked in high-stress medical environments. It has also sparked discussions about workplace relationships, the risks of secret affairs, and the importance of digital evidence in modern homicide investigations. Surveillance video from nearby areas, combined with the preserved WhatsApp threads, proved crucial in linking Perez to the scene and timeline.

As the legal process begins, Perez made his first court appearance, where details from the affidavit were outlined. The investigation continues, with authorities appealing for any additional information that might clarify the events of that October night. For Campitelli’s loved ones, the arrest brings a measure of progress toward accountability after more than a year of uncertainty and grief.

The tragic irony of her final text—expressing nervousness about a “romantic” surprise that ended in violence—serves as a somber reminder of how trust can turn deadly. Linda Campitelli’s story highlights the hidden dangers that can lurk within seemingly loving relationships, leaving behind two young daughters without their mother and a community searching for answers.