Jury selection begins Monday morning in Duvall County, Florida, in the murder trial against a man accused of plotting to murder father-of-four, Jared Bridegan.
Mario Fernandez-Saldana, 38, is currently facing first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges, along with solicitation to commit a capital felony and felony child abuse.
According to court documents, Fernandez-Saldana is accused of plotting Bridegan’s murder with Bridegan’s former wife, Shanna Gardner, 39. Fernandez-Saldana is Gardner’s current husband, although court records list them as separated.
On February 16, 2022, Henry Tenon, 69, a man identified as the couple’s tenant, allegedly gunned down Bridegan, 33, at around 8 p.m., after Bridegan dropped off his twins at Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home.
Bridegan, the father of two younger children he shared with his widow, Kristen Bridegan, shared custody of the twins with Gardner.
While driving home with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, Bridegan stopped to remove a tire in the road when Tenon allegedly shot him multiple times. Bridegan died at the scene, while Bexley, physically unharmed, was left inside the vehicle.
The Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office stated that the incident happened on Sanctuary Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach.
Investigators later determined that the killing had been a targeted ambush, fueled by a bitter court battle involving child custody and financial issues between Bridegan and Gardner.
The prosecution argued that Fernandez-Saldana solicited Tenon by offering him $10,000 to kill Bridegan. Police arrested Tenon in January 2023.
Tenon is currently facing charges that include:
- First-degree murder
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Accessory after the fact
Tenon, who had initially denied his involvement, pleaded guilty in 2023. Earlier this year, he changed his plea to not guilty. His trial is scheduled to begin in April 2027.
In August 2023, authorities arrested Gardner in connection with the shooting. She’s currently facing charges that include:
- First-degree murder
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- Child Abuse
- Solicitation to commit a capital felony
Gardner has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is scheduled to begin on September 7.
“This investigation has uncovered the truth of Jared’s murder,” State Attorney Melissa Nelson previously said.
“Henry Tenon did not act alone. Mario Fernandez did not plan alone. And Shanna Gardner’s indictment acknowledges her central and key role in the cold, calculated, and premeditated murder of Jared Bridegan.”
Jury selection is expected to last around a week. Fernandez-Saldana pleaded not guilty.
Check back for updates.
[Featured image: Jared Bridegan/Handout]
