JACKSONVILLE, Florida – A Duval County judge sentenced Mario Fernandez Saldana to life in Florida State Prison for the murder-for-hire killing of Jared Bridegan, State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced Thursday.
Judge London Kite also gave Fernandez Saldana 30 years for solicitation to commit a capital felony. That sentence will run at the same time as the life term. A Duval County jury found him guilty of both charges on August 26, 2026.
The night of the shooting
On February 16, 2022, Bridegan took his children on a preplanned “date night” in Jacksonville Beach. He returned the twins he shared with his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, to her Jacksonville Beach home, then drove along Sanctuary Boulevard.
Someone had put a tire in the middle of the dark road as a trap. Bridegan stopped his car to move it. A man stepped out and fired four shots. Two hit and killed Bridegan. The other two went into his car, where his 2-year-old daughter sat in the backseat.
Investigators identified the shooter as Henry Tenon. Bridegan and Tenon did not know each other.
Evidence tied to Tenon
According to the State Attorney’s Office, the investigation turned up several links between Tenon and the crime and between Tenon and Fernandez Saldana:
- Tenon owned the blue Ford F-150 used in the crime.
- Tenon’s DNA was on the tire in the road.
- Tenon was a former tenant of Fernandez Saldana and Gardner at a Westside property.
- Fernandez Saldana paid Tenon at least $10,000 after the murder.
- The two men had extensive communications.
Motive
The divorce between Bridegan and Gardner was acrimonious, and custody and parenting disputes were ongoing. Gardner has a family trust fund. She could become its trustee only after all “legal entanglements” with Bridegan ended.
Prosecutors said Fernandez Saldana solicited Tenon to kill Bridegan to resolve his and his wife’s custody issues and to clear the way for Gardner to become trustee. Tenon had been evicted and had no money in his accounts.
Gardner’s and Tenon’s trials are set for later dates.
The Jacksonville Beach Police Department, ATF, the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant State Attorneys Christina Stifler, Alan Mizrahi and Stephen Siegel prosecuted it.