Husband of Jared Bridegan's ex-wife arrested, charged in Jacksonville Beach shooting

In one of the Jacksonville area's most widely theorized murder cases in decades, law enforcement officials announced Thursday's arrest of Mario Fernandez Saldana in last year's planned hit on Jared Bridegan after dropping his twin children off at his ex-wife's home. Fernandez Saldana is the ex's husband.

Bridegan, a 33-year-old Microsoft executive, had just left Jacksonville Beach on his way home to St. Augustine with his 2-year-old daughter when he stopped because of a tire on the road. When he got out to move it, he was immediately gunned down, police said. Nothing appeared to have been stolen, and the child remained unharmed in her safety seat.

In January police arrested Henry Arthur Tenon, 62, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder with a weapon, accessory after the fact to a capital felony and child abuse. Thursday he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with a weapon, confirming he was the shooter and agreeing to testify against co-conspirator Fernandez Saldana, according to State Attorney Melissa Nelson.

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"Our investigation has revealed a single link between Jared Bridegan and Henry Tenon: That is Mario Fernandez Saldana," she said. "As part of Tenon's plea agreement with the state of Florida, he has agreed to testify truthfully against those he worked with to murder Jared Bridegan."

Bob Bryson, special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said agents arrested Fernandez Saldana about 9:30 a.m. in Orlando without incident.

"The operation was conducted with the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Jacksonville Beach Police Department and it is a solid example of great collaborative police work," Bryson said.

Nelson said the 34-year-old has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

An arrest warrant includes Tenon’s financial records from his bank on Oct. 14, 2022, that showed three handwritten checks from Fernandez Saldana. Phone records also showed Tenon and Fernandez Saldana had 35 phone contacts that February, 30 in March and five to nine in May and June.

Nelson said detectives knew Tenon, who had rented a home from Fernandez Saldana, didn't act alone. In his guilty plea, he confirmed that and provided additional evidence in the case. She did not say if anyone else is expected to be arrested or if wife Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, who has since moved to Washington and goes by Gardner, may have known about the plot.

In late June, Gardner told the Times-Union that Bridegan's death was a shock and "didn't seem real." She said she also didn't "see any good in airing our dirty laundry" about their 2015 divorce that began continued litigation even after both had remarried.

"I feel for Jared's family and what they are going through. I can't even imagine," she said at the time. "I have tried to be respectful. I have tried to give them space."

"There has been so much attention surrounding the murder. I have been trying to focus on the kids," she said of her and Bridegan's 10-year-old twins and the intense media coverage that she considered invasive.

Nelson said the investigation remains active and details will be limited. She could not discuss motive, but an arrest warrant states "the investigation into Bridegan’s background revealed a highly acrimonious divorce from his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and a contentious relationship with both Gardner and Fernandez Saldana."

Gardner and Bridegan were married in 2010 and divorced in 2015. Up until the shooting, they shared equal custody of a twin son and daughter.

Kirsten Bridegan, Jared's widow, had expressed distrust in his former wife following their bitter divorce and ongoing legal battles. She thanked everybody Thursday for their tireless efforts in the case.

"We are here today feeling many emotions," she said. "We have great relief knowing that two of the people behind my husband's murder are now behind bars and no longer a threat to our family. We are also still angry that they were walking free while we were grappling with the reality that Jared wouldn't be here for future memories, vacations or tender moments with our kids. Angry that our youngest, who was 6 months at the time of his death, will have no memories of her father. Angry that there will be no new memories for Liam, Abby, Bexley, London or anyone who knew and loved Jared.

"We have fought hard for the truth and the world now knows what we have known all along — that Jared truly was an innocent victim," she continued. "Since day one, those in charge of the investigation promised us that they would be relentless in their pursuit of accountability and justice and they have been. ... We know there is still a long way to go before all those responsible are truly held accountable, but today is a very significant day for our family."

She had previously pleaded that Tenon, whom she said she didn't know, come forward with information to make things right.

"Henry, if you get to hear this, please choose now to do the right thing," Kirsten Bridegan said following his arraignment. "Please help us to receive justice sooner rather than later and allow us and your own family to move forward and focus on healing as quickly as possible. Please help us in this nightmare that we are living every single day."

Times-Union writer Beth Reese Cravey contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jared Bridegan murder: Husband of victim's ex-wife arrested in case