Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire trial begins, custody dispute cited

Key Points:

• Kirsten Bridegan testified during the murder trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana, who is accused of helping plan and finance the killing of her late husband, Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, amid a bitter custody dispute with his ex-wife.
• Prosecutors allege Fernandez Saldana conspired with Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, Bridegan’s ex-wife, and Henry Tenon, the alleged gunman, in a murder-for-hire plot stemming from ongoing family conflicts over custody, schooling, and finances.
• Evidence presented includes surveillance footage tracking Bridegan’s vehicle and a truck linked to the suspects near the crime scene, as well as audio capturing gunfire during the roadside ambush in Jacksonville Beach in February 2022.
• The case has led to multiple arrests: Tenon was charged and initially cooperated but later withdrew his plea, while Fernandez Saldana and Gardner-Fernandez are facing separate trials scheduled through 2027.
• The trials focus on proving the murder-for-hire conspiracy amid disputed motives and defenses, with Fernandez Saldana’s attorneys arguing lack of evidence tying him to the crime scene or intent to kill.