Microsoft executive’s ex says killer’s new charges prove she wasn’t involved in murder-for-hire plot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Court TV) — The ex-wife of a Microsoft executive gunned down in an alleged murder for hire won a trial delay after prosecutors filed new charges against her current husband — who was already convicted of being involved in the victim’s death.

Shanna Gardner, 39, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse in the death of her ex-husband, Jared Bridegan. Bridegan was shot and killed after dropping off the children he shared with Gardner at her home; prosecutors said a tire purposely left on a dark road in Bridegan’s path lured the victim from his car before he was shot.

At the time of Bridegan’s death, Gardner had remarried Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38. Investigators said the two worked together to pay alleged hit man Henry Tenon, who was a tenant on a rental property Gardner and Fernandez owned, to kill the victim.

Fernandez was the first to stand trial for Bridegan’s death; a jury deliberated for about four hours before finding him guilty as charged on Wednesday. Prosecutors planned to try Gardner immediately afterward, with jury selection scheduled to begin on Monday.

But at a final pretrial hearing on Thursday, Gardner’s attorneys said they wanted more time to prepare for the trial, citing new charges just filed against Fernandez.

Per the motion:

One hour before today’s final pretrial conference in Ms. Gardner’s own trial, undersigned counsel learned that an arrest warrant has since been issued charging Mr. Fernandez with lewd and lascivious conduct [redacted]. That charge gives Mr. Fernandez a motive to kill Jared Bridegan that has nothing to do with Ms. Gardner. A motive to keep Jared from learning that Mr. Fernandez [redacted]. Either motive is entirely independent of Ms. Gardner, and neither existed, as far as the defense knew, until mere hours ago.

Charging documents filed on Thursday against Fernandez in the new case, reviewed by Court TV, accuse Fernandez of molesting the juvenile victim for years. The alleged victim said the molestation occurred on multiple evenings, but investigators noted the child’s story was inconsistent.

From the motion:

It should be noted that [victim] approximately a month prior to [victim’s] interview, while on a family vacation, when asked by a family member if the Suspect ‘molested [them],’ [victim] answered ‘no.’ However, there was a concern about [victim] understanding the term ‘molestation.’ Upon clarification, [victim] confirmed that the suspect did touch [victim] underneath [victim’s] pants, that it started when [victim] was eight (8) and went on for many years.

“Four days is not enough time to investigate Mr. Fernandez’s motive, gather the evidence to support it, and put it before a jury,” Gardner’s attorneys said in their motion to continue, which prosecutors did not oppose.

The defense motion also cited an ongoing issue with Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten Bridegan, as a reason to delay Gardner’s trial: She has appealed an order that would allow the defense to get a forensic image of her phone.

Judge London Kite granted Gardner’s motion, rescheduling her trial to begin in May 2027.