Man convicted in murder-for-hire killing of Microsoft manager on Florida road

Key Points:

• Mario Fernandez Saldana was convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in the fatal shooting of Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager, in a murder-for-hire scheme linked to a contentious child custody dispute.
• Bridegan was shot after stopping to remove a tire placed in the road in Jacksonville Beach, with prosecutors arguing the killing stemmed from ongoing custody issues involving his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and their twins.
• Henry Tenon, the alleged gunman and former tenant of Fernandez Saldana, had his DNA found on the tire and received payments totaling $10,000 after the homicide; he initially pleaded guilty but later withdrew his plea and will face trial next year.
• Shanna Gardner, Fernandez Saldana’s estranged wife and Bridegan’s former spouse, is scheduled for trial in September; she is the daughter of the co-founder of the arts-and-crafts company Stampin’ Up!.
• Defense argued Fernandez Saldana had no motive and gained no benefit from Bridegan’s death, while the prosecution highlighted the months-long planning behind the murder, emphasizing Bridegan’s vulnerability at the time of the attack.