Florida Man Convicted of Murder-for-Hire Plot in Custody Dispute

A Florida man, Mario Fernandez Saldana, has been found guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in connection with the 2022 death of Jared Bridegan.

Bridegan, a Microsoft manager, was shot twice on February 16, 2022, after he got out of his car to remove a tire that prosecutors allege had been deliberately placed in the middle of a road in Jacksonville Beach.

The prosecution alleges that Fernandez Saldana and Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, conspired to kill Bridegan over ongoing custody and parenting disputes. Fernandez Saldana allegedly hired his tenant, Henry Tenon, to carry out the murder.

Prosecutors claim that Fernandez Saldana paid Tenon at least $10,000 after the killing. Tenon was initially arrested in connection with the crime, but later withdrew his confession and pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled to start in March 2027.