Florida Jury Convicts Mario Fernandez Saldana in Murder Case

A Florida jury has found Mario Fernandez Saldana guilty of the 2022 murder of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan. The decision came on Wednesday, concluding that Fernandez Saldana was guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony.

Jared Bridegan, aged 33, was shot in close proximity in Jacksonville Beach in February 2022. The incident occurred when he stopped his vehicle to remove a tire left in a dimly lit road. Disturbingly, his 2-year-old daughter was in the back seat at the time but remained unharmed.

Prosecutors contended that the murder was premeditated, rooted in a contentious custody dispute between Bridegan and his ex-wife Shanna Gardner. Mario Fernandez Saldana, her current husband, was implicated in planning the murder. Prosecutors claimed they hired Henry Tenon as the shooter. Tenon initially confessed but later withdrew his plea.

In March 2023, authorities arrested Fernandez Saldana, with Gardner’s arrest following in August. Both face the same charges related to Bridegan’s death. A judge determined that Gardner and Fernandez Saldana would be tried independently, each with a separate jury.

This case has drawn significant public attention as details unfold.