A Florida jury convicted Mario Fernandez Saldana on Wednesday of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in connection with the 2022 shooting death of Jared Bridegan. Prosecutors argued that Fernandez Saldana participated in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager, following a period of conflict regarding child custody and religious upbringing.
The case originated in February 2022, when Bridegan was fatally shot after stopping his vehicle to remove a tire from a road in Jacksonville Beach. The investigation focused on the relationship between Bridegan and his former wife, Shanna Gardner, who is now married to Fernandez Saldana. Prosecutors alleged the tire was intentionally placed in the road as a "targeted ambush" to force Bridegan out of his car while his 2-year-old daughter was present in the vehicle.
During the trial, Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler told jurors that Gardner and Fernandez Saldana had planned the killing for months due to disagreements over how to raise Gardner and Bridegan's twin children. Defense attorney Jesse Dreicer argued that Fernandez Saldana had no motive for the crime and gained no benefit from Bridegan's death, noting that the two defendants are now estranged.
Evidence presented during the trial included three checks totaling $10,000 written by Fernandez Saldana to Henry Tenon, the man accused of being the gunman. Tenon, who was a former tenant of Fernandez Saldana, previously reached a plea deal to testify but later withdrew from that agreement. Investigators also identified Tenon's DNA on the rim of the tire found at the crime scene.
The case has influenced local child welfare practices through the actions of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten Bridegan. Following her daughter's experience spending hours at a police station after the shooting, she established the Bridegan Foundation. This nonprofit organization aims to provide basic necessities for toddlers and children at police stations to reduce the trauma of their experiences during investigations.
The legal proceedings involve several interconnected trials and defendants. While Fernandez Saldana has been convicted, the alleged gunman, Henry Tenon, is scheduled to stand trial next year following the collapse of his initial plea agreement. A Florida jury will next be tasked with evaluating the evidence against Gardner, who moved to Washington state after the killing and is currently facing charges related to the same murder-for-hire allegations. The court has not yet reported the specific date for Fernandez Saldana's sentencing.