Microsoft Exec's Ex Seeks Trial Delay After Husband's New Charges
Shanna Gardner, the ex-wife of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, is seeking to delay her trial after new charges were filed against her current husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana. Fernandez was already convicted of being involved in Bridegan's death and had been scheduled to be tried immediately after his conviction. However, prosecutors have now charged him with lewd and lascivious conduct, accusing him of molesting a juvenile victim for years.
The new charges give Fernandez a motive to kill Bridegan that is independent of Gardner's alleged involvement in the murder-for-hire plot. Gardner's attorneys argued that four days is not enough time to investigate this new motive and gather evidence to support it. They also cited an ongoing issue with Bridegan's widow, Kirsten Bridegan, who has appealed an order allowing the defense to obtain a forensic image of her phone.
Gardner, 39, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child abuse in connection with Bridegan's death. The trial was rescheduled to begin in May 2027.