JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NewsNation) — A second arrest has been made in the killing of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, who was gunned down as his child looked on last year.
Investigators have now charged Bridegan’s ex-wife’s new husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana, in connection with his death. Fernandez Saldana is charged with first-degree murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, child abuse and conspiracy to commit murder, officials announced Thursday.
Henry Tenon was first charged in the case. Back in January, investigators said: “We know Tenon did not act alone” and later identified Fernandez Saldana as once being a landlord to Tenon. They say Fernandez Saldana is the single link between Bridegan and Tenon.
Bridegan was ambushed and killed in front of his child last February after getting out of his car to move a tire out of the road in Florida.
Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten Bridegan, told NewsNation senior national correspondent Brian Entin last August that the ex-wife and her husband were the only ones she knew of who had an issue with her husband.
She spoke out about the case Thursday.
“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’s a very significant day for our family.”
Authorities have not provided a motive for the crime, but said Bridegan and his ex-wife had been arguing over finances and custody of their children.
Tenon entered a guilty plea Thursday morning. Part of the plea agreement is for Tenon to testify truthfully against those he worked with in Bridegan’s killing. Fernandez Saldana was arrested in Orlando and has been transported to the Orange County Jail.
NewsNation legal analyst Jesse Weber explained that since Tenon is the link between Saldona and Bridegan, he is essentially the “star witness” in the case.
Weber said the bigger question, however, is how the defense is going to use Tenon as a witness. He explained he anticipates the defense questioning Tenon’s credibility and tearing apart his testimony.
“The only problem is that a lot of the communications and a lot of the connection between Saldona and this gentleman is recorded through checks, there’s a payment trail and even phone communication,” Weber said.
He continued, “The only way I can try to see where they go to a defense is well, maybe Saldano talked about problems that he had with Bridegan, and Tenon took it upon himself to, you know, to just basically do this on his own.”
Weber said he thinks this is a flimsy motive, but about the only avenue the defense can take in this case with such evidence against Saldano.
NewsNation’s Brooke Shafer contributed to this report.