Trial Begins for Suspect in Murder of Microsoft Executive Jared Bridegan

The trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana, accused of murdering Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, has commenced. Bridegan was shot in February 2022 after dropping off his twins at his ex-wife's home in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

After leaving the twins, Bridegan encountered a tire in the road and exited his vehicle to remove it. He was shot multiple times before he could return to his car, with his 2-year-old daughter uninjured in the backseat. Investigators believe the incident was a planned ambush, orchestrated as part of a murder-for-hire scheme involving Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and Saldana.

Prosecutors allege that Gardner and Saldana were unhappy with their custody arrangement and had plotted Bridegan's murder. Evidence suggests that Saldana hired Henry Tenon, who has since pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Saldana and Gardner. Both Saldana and Gardner have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, with Gardner's trial set to begin in September.