Full Breakdown
Jury Convicts Mario Fernandez Saldana in Murder-For-Hire Plot Against Microsoft Executive Jared Bridegan
8/27/2026, 2:25:38 AM
The Verdict and the Crime
A Florida jury found Mario Fernandez Saldana guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony for the February 2022 ambush that killed Jared Bridegan, a 33-year-old Microsoft design manager. Bridegan was shot after stopping his Volkswagen Atlas to move a tire placed in the lane. His two-year-old daughter was in the back seat and was not injured. The alleged gunman, 65-year-old Henry Tenon, fled on foot while another vehicle drove away.
Background & Context
Bridegan and Shanna Gardner divorced in 2015 and entered a custody battle. Gardner later married Fernandez Saldana, who owned the rental property where Tenon lived. Prosecutors said the couple conspired to eliminate Bridegan to resolve the dispute and allow Gardner to control an irrevocable trust.
Data & Statistics
- Three checks signed by Fernandez Saldana totalling $10,000 were written to Tenon after the homicide.
- Tenon’s DNA was recovered from the tire left on the road.
- Two bullets struck Bridegan’s SUV; the shots narrowly missed his daughter’s car seat.
- The jury deliberated for roughly three and a half hours before returning a guilty verdict.
Official Statements & Responses
Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler described the killing as “unarmed, unaware, exposed, vulnerable” and said the architects had been planning it for months. State Attorney Melissa Nelson said the verdict provides “accountability” and praised the investigation. Judge London M. Kite scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 2026 and ordered jurors’ identities remain confidential for 60 days.
Criticism & Opposition
Defense attorney Jesse Dreicer argued that Fernandez Saldana had no motive, noting the couple were estranged, Gardner had moved to Washington, and there was no DNA linking Fernandez to the scene. He said the $10,000 checks represented legitimate handyman payments.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It doesn’t matter if they were completely right about the situation or completely wrong. What matters is how they fixed it,” — Christina Stifler, assistant state attorney
- “Nothing about today can restore what was taken from this family or ease the pain they have endured for now many years,” — Melissa Nelson, state attorney
- “He certainly gained no benefit from the death of Jared Bridegan,” — Jesse Dreicer, defense attorney
What’s Next
Shanna Gardner’s murder-for-hire trial is set for September 2026. Henry Tenon is scheduled to face trial on March 29, 2027. Fernandez Saldana will be sentenced in October 2026; a first-degree murder conviction in Florida carries a mandatory life-without-parole sentence. Appeals are expected.
