Ex-wife arrested in Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan’s murder
- Bridegan was shot to death in front of his toddler daughter
- Shanna Gardner-Fernandez is the third person arrested in the case
- Prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty
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(NewsNation) — Police arrested the ex-wife of former Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan for his murder, authorities announced.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson said Shanna Gardner-Fernandez has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and child endangerment.
Bridegan was shot to death in a suburb of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in February 2022. He was lured away from his car after coming across a tire placed in the middle of the road. After getting out to move it, he was shot to death in front of his two-year-old daughter who was also in the car.
Court papers say several bullets hit the interior of the car, inches away from the toddler.
Bridegan had just finished dropping off his twin children at Gardner-Fernandez’s house when the shooting occurred. His current wife, now widow, Kirsten Bridegan insisted the killing was not random.
Bridegan and Gardner-Fernandez divorced in 2015 but had continued to fight over custody of the 10-year-old twins the couple shared.
Two men had previously been arrested in connection with the case, Mario Fernandez Saldana and Henry Tenon. Both were connected to Garnder-Fernandez. Saldana was her current husband and Tenon was a tenant in a property Saldana owned.
Saldana has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, while Tenon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to cooperate with investigators.
Gardner-Fernandez was arrested in Washington and will be extradited to Florida to face the charges. Prosecutors said they intend to seek the death penalty for both Gardner-Fernandez and Saldana.
