Jared Bridegan.Photo: Jacksonville Beach Police Department
Nearly two months after thearrest of a suspectin the 2022 murder of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, his ex-wife’s current husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana, has also been arrested and charged in connection with his death.
Fernandez Saldana, 35, has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse,State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced on Thursday during a press conference.
Fernandez Saldana’s wife and Bridegan’s ex-wife, Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, is not currently facing any charges. It is unclear if Fernandez Saldana has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Mario Fernandez Saldana.Jacksonville Beach Police Department
The man arrested in late January, 61-year-old Henry Tenon, was a former tenant of Mario Fernandez,First Coast Newsreports. Tenon was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder with a weapon and accessory after the fact to a capital felony and child abuse.
Fernandez Saldana’s arrest comes shortly after Tenon pled guilty to second-degree murder with a weapon this morning, Nelson said during the press conference.
“Our investigation has revealed a single link between Jared Bridegan and Henry Tenon,” Nelson said. “That is Mario Fernandez Saldana.”
Tenon agreed to testify against “those he worked with” in Bridegan’s murder as part of his plea agreement, Nelson said.
Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten Bridegan, made a statement during the press conference.
“We are here today feeling many emotions,” Kirsten said in part. “We have great relief knowing that two of the people behind my husband’s murder are now behind bars and are no longer a threat to our family. We are also still angry. Angry that they were walking free while we were grappling with the reality that Jared wouldn’t be here for any future memories, vacations, or tender moments with our kids.”
Police have long said they believed Tenon didn’t act alone in the fatal shooting of Bridegan, a father of four, which took place in front of his 2-year-old daughter.
Bridegan, 33, was shotmultiple times at close rangeon Feb. 16, 2022, after he stepped out of his black Volkswagen Atlas to move a tire lying in the middle of a Jacksonville Beach road.
Henry Tenon.Jacksonville Beach Police Department
“He was gunned down in cold blood,” Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said during a previous press conference. “This was a planned and targeted ambush and murder. The ruthless homicide has pained our community.”
“When officers got on the scene, they found the vehicle with the flashers on, and there was a tire up in front of his vehicle in the roadway,” Jacksonville Beach Police Department Sgt. Tonya Tator previously told PEOPLE.
The detective in charge “felt it was targeted because of the tire being in the road forcing someone to stop,” Tator said.
Bridegan’s two-year-old daughter Bexley was inside the vehicle in a car seat when he was killed. She was unharmed. Bridegan had just dropped his 10-year-old twins at his ex-wife’s house and was driving home when he was ambushed.
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Soon after the shooting, local media began reporting on the contentious custody dispute between Bridegan and his ex-wife. They both remarried after their 2016 divorce, but were still in court, battling over children and financial matters up until Bridegan’s death.
FOX Newsreports that Gardner-Fernandez, and the 10-year-old children she shared with Bridegan, left Florida and moved to Washington less than one year after the slaying.
source: people.com
