'Still angry': Jared Bridegan's widow speaks after 2nd arrest in Microsoft exec's killing

Staff
·3 min read
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Following Thursday's announcement that a second person, Mario Fernandez Saldana, has been arrested in the brutal killing of 33-year-old Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan a year ago in Jacksonville Beach, Bridegan's widow, Kirsten Bridegan, spoke to news media at the briefing. Here's what she said.

"We are here today feeling many emotions. 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.

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Angry that our youngest, who was six months at the time of his death, will have no memories of her father.

Angry there will be no new memories for Liam, Abbey, 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.

Since Day 1, 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 are grateful to the State Attorney's Office, Jacksonville Beach Police Department, the ATF and any other agencies that have been involved in this investigation.

Justice for Jared will not be stopped, and we will not be silenced. We know there's still a long way to go before all those responsible are truly held accountable

But today is a very significant day for our family.

Thank you.

Second arrest made in ambush shooting death of Jared Bridegan

On Thursday, Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith and State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced that Mario Fernandez Saldana, 34, has been arrested and indicted on charges of first-degree murder in what they say was the planned hit on Bridegan, the 33-year-old Microsoft executive and father of four who lived in St. Augustine. Arrested Thursday morning in Orlando, Fernandez Saldana is the husband of Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner-Fernandez.

The development follows January's arrest of Henry Arthur Tenon, 61, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder with a weapon, accessory after the fact to a capital felony and child abuse. On Thursday, Nelson said Tenon pleaded guilty, confirming he was the shooter and agreeing to testify against co-conspirator Fernandez Saldana.

The connection between Mario Fernandez Saldana and Henry Tenon

Nelson said on Thursday that Tenon rented a home from Fernandez Saladana and that in his guilty plea, he provided additional evidence in the case. She declined to provide any additional information, saying the investigation remains active.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jared Bridegan's widow speaks after arrest in husband's shooting death