Murder-for-Hire Trial
Man Accused in Microsoft Executive's Murder-for-Hire Plot Heads to Florida Trial
Key Points
The trial is taking place in Duval County court, Florida, with proceedings expected to begin on Monday.
The ambush occurred after Bridegan had just returned the nine-year-old twins he shares with Gardner to Gardner's home following a regular date night.
Bridegan had married Kirsten in 2017 and was driving home to St. Augustine with one of the two children he had with her.
Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38, went on trial in Duval County, Florida, charged with first-degree murder in the 2022 ambush killing of Microsoft design manager Jared Bridegan — a crime prosecutors call deeply personal. WRAL reported that opening arguments framed the murder as a "targeted ambush" orchestrated by Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and her husband Fernandez Saldana, following years of bitter post-divorce conflict.
Bridegan, a father of four, was shot dead on a Jacksonville Beach road in February 2022. He was driving home to St. Augustine with his 2-year-old child strapped in a car seat when someone placed a tire in the road to stop his vehicle. He was then shot and killed.
A Tire in the Road and a Murder-for-Hire Plot
The night of the attack, Bridegan had just dropped off the nine-year-old twins he shared with Gardner at her home — part of a routine custody exchange. He then headed home with one of his younger children. Someone had placed a tire in the road to force him to stop. He stepped out of his car. A gunman then shot him dead, according to SF Chronicle.
Prosecutors say hired gunman Henry Tenon pulled the trigger. Tenon was paid at least $10,000 for the killing. DNA matching Tenon was found on the tire used to stop Bridegan's car. Tenon had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Fernandez Saldana, but he withdrew that plea this year. He now faces his own trial in 2027, according to Stamford Advocate.
Divorce, Religion, and Years of Lethal Animosity
Bridegan and Gardner divorced in 2015 after a marriage marked by clashes over religion and custody. Authorities say Gardner never let go of her hatred for her ex-husband. NH Register reported that prosecutors told jurors the "murder was personal," driven by years of post-marriage strife. Bridegan had remarried in 2017, and his new wife Kirsten was left widowed with two young children.
Investigators say Gardner and Fernandez Saldana planned the killing together. Gardner, 39, also faces first-degree murder charges. Her trial is scheduled separately for September 2025. Prosecutors argue the couple saw Bridegan as a threat they wanted permanently removed from their lives.
What Happens Next for Each Defendant
Fernandez Saldana's trial is the first to go before a jury. Proceedings began this week in Duval County court. If convicted of first-degree murder, he faces life in prison or the death penalty under Florida law, WRAL reported.
Gardner's trial is set for September. Tenon, the alleged triggerman, faces trial in 2027 after backing out of his plea deal. His DNA on the tire remains a key piece of evidence against all three. The case has stretched more than four years since the 2022 shooting, a span that has kept Bridegan's family in legal limbo, according to SF Chronicle.
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