Widow Recounts Husband's Final Moments as Microsoft Exec's Murder Trial Continues

Jared Bridegan, a 33-year-old Microsoft executive, was killed in an ambush on a Jacksonville Beach road. His widow, Kirsten Bridegan, took the witness stand at the murder trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana, who is accused of helping to plan and finance the killing.

Kirsten testified that she spoke to her husband after he dropped off their twins and younger daughter Bexley for dinner. The call ended in an unusual silence, with Jared being quiet after Kirsten said 'I'll see you soon.'

The family had a long-standing routine of going to dinner together, and this was no exception. However, on this particular evening, Jared's life would be cut short. Prosecutors allege that Fernandez Saldana helped plan and finance the murder-for-hire plot, which was motivated by the bitter custody conflict between Jared and his ex-wife Shanna Gardner-Fernandez.

Prosecutors say that the prolonged conflict over matters such as custody, child support, and schooling fueled the alleged motive for the killing. Kirsten described the fractious co-parenting relationship, stating 'There's absolutely no trust.' The families relied almost entirely on texts and emails to communicate due to the lack of trust.

Prosecutors believe that Fernandez Saldana rented a Jacksonville home to Tenon and hired him for work at rental properties. They also cited checks written by Fernandez Saldana to Tenon and phone records showing the men communicated dozens of times around the killing.