Full Breakdown
Murder-for-Hire Trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana: The 2022 Killing of Microsoft Designer Jared Bridegan
8/17/2026, 9:21:46 PM
Core Event
In mid-August 2026 a Duval County jury began hearing the case against Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38, accused of arranging a murder-for-hire plot that killed Jared Bridegan, a 33-year-old Microsoft design manager, while his 2-year-old daughter was in the back seat. Prosecutors allege Fernandez hired tenant Henry Tenon, 65, to fire the fatal shots after a tire was placed in the road to force Bridegan to stop. Both Fernandez and his estranged wife, Shanna Gardner, face first-degree murder charges; Tenon will be tried separately in 2027.
Background & Context
Bridegan and Gardner divorced in 2015 and shared custody of twin children. Gardner married Fernandez, an Army veteran and former gym-maintenance worker, in 2018. Investigators describe the marriage as a “convenience” aimed at gaining control of the children and related trust assets.
Timeline
- 2021 Nov – Prosecutors say the conspiracy began.
- 2022 Mar 28 – Checks for $2,000 and $3,000 were written from First Choice Home Rentals LLC to Tenon.
- 2022 Feb – Bridegan was ambushed on a Jacksonville Beach road after stopping to remove the tire.
- 2022 July – Police recovered the tire and matched DNA to Tenon.
- 2023 Mar 16 – Tenon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify.
- 2024 – Bond hearing noted Gardner’s hatred of Bridegan.
- 2026 mid-August – Jury selection and opening statements for Fernandez’s trial.
- 2027 Mar 29 (scheduled) – Tenon’s separate trial.
Data & Statistics
- Payments to Tenon total at least $10,000, documented by three handwritten checks.
- Phone records show Tenon and Fernandez exchanged 35 calls in February, 30 in March, and 5-9 calls in May–June of the murder year.
- Surveillance captured a bullet missing the child’s car seat by “mere inches.”
- Tenon’s DNA was found on the tire used to block Bridegan’s vehicle.
Official Statements & Responses
Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler framed the killing as a “targeted ambush” motivated by Gardner’s desire for full custody. Assistant State Attorney Alan Mizrahi noted Tenon left the scene in a pickup while another person fled on foot, suggesting a broader conspiracy. Defense attorney James Hill countered that the prosecution has not linked Fernandez directly to the shooting vehicle and stressed the presumption of innocence.
Criticism & Opposition
Fernandez’s defense argues the evidence relies on circumstantial financial transactions and phone logs, not direct proof of an order. Hill warned jurors not to let sympathy for the victim’s family influence their judgment.
On-the-Ground Reports
Bridegan’s daughter, Bexley, described hearing “loud booms” and asking, “Are police going to help my daddy?” while the shooter fled. Witnesses reported the tire was placed on an isolated stretch of road with no streetlights, and no robbery occurred.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Prosecutors assert Tenon was not the driver of the pickup that left the scene, yet no other individual has been publicly identified or charged. Tenon withdrew his 2023 guilty plea and will not testify at Fernandez’s trial, leaving a gap in direct testimony linking the payment to the shooting.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Are police going to help my daddy?” — Christina Simak Stifler, assistant state attorney
- “She says, ‘Boom! Boom! Boom! Daddy on the ground,’” — Kirsten
What’s Next
The trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana will run through late August 2026. After his verdict, Shanna Gardner’s trial is slated for early September 2026, followed by Tenon’s trial on March 29 2027. The state has indicated the death penalty is no longer being pursued, aligning with the wishes of Bridegan’s widow.
