Florida Jury Convicts Man of Murder-for-Hire in Fatal Shooting of Microsoft Manager

A Florida jury has convicted Mario Fernandez Saldana of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder for the fatal shooting of Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager. The killing occurred in 2022 on a road in Jacksonville Beach, where Bridegan was shot twice while removing a tire from the road.

The prosecution alleged that Fernandez Saldana hired Henry Tenon to carry out the ambush, citing three checks totaling $10,000 written to Tenon after the homicide as evidence. The prosecutor described Tenon as 'basically homeless' and said he had no personal connection to Bridegan.

Fernandez Saldana's defense attorney argued that his client had no motive to have Bridegan killed and that there was no testimony of him telling anyone that Bridegan 'deserves to die.' The prosecution, however, pointed out that Fernandez Saldana and his wife, Shanna Gardner, were embroiled in a custody battle over their twins.

Gardner is the daughter of the co-founder of Stampin' Up!, an arts-and-crafts company based in Utah. She was arrested in 2023 for her alleged involvement in the killing and will face trial in September.