Florida Man Convicted in Murder of Microsoft Manager Amid Child Custody Dispute

A Florida man, Mario Fernandez Saldana, has been convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in connection with the killing of Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager.

The crime occurred on a Florida road in 2022 when Bridegan was shot twice while trying to remove a tire from the road. The attack had stumped police for months as they struggled to understand why someone with no apparent enemies would be killed.

Prosecutors believe that Bridegan was targeted due to ongoing strife with his former wife, Shanna Gardner, over child custody arrangements. Fernandez Saldana is married to Gardner and the two have a tumultuous relationship.

Gardner's trial is set to start in September and she faces charges related to the case. Prosecutors say that Fernandez Saldana hired Henry Tenon to carry out the ambush, who had no personal connection to Bridegan but was a former tenant at Fernandez Saldana's rental property.