JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — The ex-wife and accused killer of a Florida Microsoft executive was booked into the Duval County Jail on Friday.
NBC affiliate WTLV reported that Shanna Gardner, the ex-wife of Jared Bridegan, was booked into jail after an extradition hearing took place in Washington last week.
In August, the Jacksonville Beach Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney’s Office announced Gardner was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to commit first-degree murder and child abuse in connection to the shooting death of her ex-husband.
On Feb. 16, 2022, Bridegan was shot several times after he got out of his car to move a tire that was blocking the road. Prosecutors believe Gardner and her current husband, Mario Fernandez-Saldana planned to murder Bridegan and intentionally placed the tire in the road to lure him out of his car.
Bridegan had just dropped off his 9-year-old twins at Gardner’s home in Jacksonville Beach before the shooting. His 2-year-old daughter was in the car when he was shot and killed, WJAX reported.
The news station reported that Gardner was long believed to be a suspect in the case after Fernandez-Saldana was charged in connection to the shooting death. Police records obtained by WTVL showed that Bridegan had a “contentious” relationship with both Fernandez-Saldana and Gardner.
WTVL reported that a 62-year-old man named Henry Tenon, who once rented a home from Fernandez-Saldana was also charged with the crime. Tenon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March.
The news station reported that Tenon’s car matched both the truck seen at the crime scene and the tire Bridegan found on the road the night of the shooting. Police said Tenon may have been the shooter, but stressed that he “did not act alone.”
Police said they linked Tenon to Fernandez-Saldana after they found evidence that Fernandez-Saldana was paying him for something.
Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith described the crime as a “planned and targeted ambush and murder.”
According to WTVL, Gardner will appear in court for the first time on Nov. 3 for her arraignment.