JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Court TV) — Nearly two years after pleading guilty to his role in the murder of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, a defendant is now changing his story.
Henry Tenon pleaded guilty to murdering Jared Bridegan. (Jacksonville Beach Police Department)
Henry Tenon was arrested in Jan. 2023 on charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory after the fact and child abuse in connection with Bridegan’s death. In March 2023, he pleaded guilty to a single charge of second-degree murder and saw the other charges dropped after he agreed to testify against two other defendants in the case.
Shanna Gardner, Bridegan’s ex-wife, and Gardner’s husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana, are charged with masterminding Bridegan’s murder; their trial is scheduled to begin in August. Both have pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors recently indicated they no longer plan to seek the death penalty for the couple.
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Tenon, who originally confessed to his role in the murder and said that he pulled the trigger, announced at a 2025 hearing that he had given “false testimony” and now denied his role in the plot.
In a filing on Friday, Tenon’s attorneys said they would like to withdraw his guilty plea entirely and said that he no longer intends to testify at Gardner and Fernandez’s trial. The motion further stated that Tenon wants to proceed to trial himself, entering a not-guilty plea.
A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Feb. 17.
