February 16, 2022

• 7:59 p.m: Jacksonville Beach Police Department received calls reporting multiple gunshots in The Sanctuary Boulevard a residential area located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida (Duval County). One of the calls reported that a vehicle was blocking the road in the 4000 block of Sanctuary Blvd. The caller stated that a white male was lying next to the vehicle and a toddler was crying in her car seat in the back rear of the passenger side of the vehicle. Witnesses removed the child from the vehicle.
• 8:03 p.m: When officers arrived at 8:03 p.m., Bridegan was lying in the road with multiple appment gunshot wounds. His vehicle was in park, running, with his hazard lights flashing. First responding officers with JBPD attempted life-saving measures, but were unsuccessful, and Bridegan was pronounced dead on scene. In front of Bridegan’s car, laying in the road and blocking his path of travel, was a damaged tire. The tire was placed in such a manner as to nearly block the path of travel, so that someone would have to either drive in the grass or move the tire in order to keep driving. The rim of the tire was identified as belonging to a 2004 Ford F-150 Lariat.

Crime Scene:

Body:

• The body was laying near the curb on the east side of the roadway.
• A large pool of blood was observed to the right of the decedent’s head and had began coagulating.
• Blood was visible soaking through the sheet and left hand and wrist sticking out from under the sheet resting on the left side/east curb of the roadway.
• The fingers were curled inward with a silver and diamond ring which appeared to be a wedding band, on the decedent’s left ring finger, along with what appeared to be a black Apple Watch. There was what appeared to be dried blood on the hand.
• The decedent’s feet were also sticking out from under the sheet. The decedent’s feet were crossed and it appeared he had been wearing one brown colored flip flop/sandal, while the other was laying nearby in the street.
• The decedent’s feet were facing south and his head north.

Tire:

• Large tire was observed laying in the middle of the street, approximately ten to fifteen feet to the front of the vehicle. It appeared to be old and damaged.
• BF Goodrich Advantage TIA Sport LT.
• Size 265/60R 18
• DOT number- AP80 2T11
• The rim is a size 18X7.5JX44. On the inside of the rim there are other numbers, C#0618043, 80471, and X5X3.

Casings Found:

On the ground around the victim there was three bullet casings:

• two were north west slightly from the victim
• the other two appeared to be west and to the south slightly from the body.
• The two casings to the south of the body were in close proximity that they were easy to see and avoid.
• a silver colored projectile was located under the body.

3 projectiles were recovered.

• The first one was located on the passengers side front seat floor.
• The second projectile was located in the passengers side front door, inside the door.
• Once the body was moved and turned by the Medical Examiner a silver colored projectile was located under the body. As the Medical Examiner was assessing the body, it was observed two holes in the shirt in the area of the left shoulder.

Once the shirt was moved the hole to the left shoulder area observed. The North Florida Body removal team arrived and removed the body from the scene

• Item #1 (Underwood brand 10mm shell casing)
• Item #3 (Underwood brand 10mm shell casing)
• Item #2 (PPU brand 10mm shell casing)
• Item #4 (PPU brand 10mm shell casing)

Car:

• Blood spots on the left side of the driver’s seat and interior frame of the driver side door.
• Looking into the vehicle, a small hole was observed in the center dash, with an entry point below and to the right of the steering wheel.
• The front passenger side window was shattered but still intact.
• A small hole was observed where the frame and glass meet, with a majority of the impact appearing to be in the metal frame.
• There were what appeared to be lines in the glass extending around the circumference of the center point of contact.

At 10:31 hours, an interview with Currie was conducted on Saturday, February 19, 2022. Currie stated that she left her house, located in the Marshside area, at 19:50 hours. She was heading to pick up her daughter near the St. Johns Town Center. Currie mentioned that when she turned left onto the southbound lane of Sanctuary, there were two to four cars in front of her. She observed the lead vehicle, a black SUV, with its emergency lights on. She also noticed another vehicle, which she described as a “whitish, grayish, silver SUV.” Currie stated that a slender white male, wearing khaki shorts, exited this vehicle and approached the driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle. She explained that the man paused, looked into the vehicle, then stopped. He then proceeded to the passenger side of the vehicle and stopped again. Currie remarked that this behavior seemed strange to her.

Currie further described the man as wearing a baseball cap. She also observed a white four-door vehicle in front of her. A white woman exited the passenger side of this vehicle and appeared confused about what was happening. At this point, Currie decided to reverse her vehicle and leave the area via South Beach Parkway. Currie mentioned that she knew of the victim and was friends with Shanna Gardner, his ex-wife. She also knew the victim’s older brother, though she couldn’t recall his name. Currie learned from friends that Jared Bridegan had been shot on Wednesday night.

Currie recounted that she had heard stories about the victim’s behavior from Shanna Gardner. She explained that her husband had been involved in an altercation with the victim at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Neptune Beach. Currie’s husband, who is the Bishop at the church, had to call the church’s legal services because the victim was upset that Currie and her husband had befriended Gardner. She described the victim as having a “hot head” and noted that he did not want Gardner invited to the church. However, she did not go into specifics about the argument.

Currie mentioned that Gardner had described the victim as controlling and impatient. She characterized the divorce and custody situation as contentious. Based on what she had heard about the victim, Currie speculated that his death might have been caused by road rage.

Currie went on to describe Gardner’s new husband, Mario, as nice but mentioned that she couldn’t see them becoming “best friends.” She was unsure if Mario and the victim had any negative interactions.

Surveillance of Sanctuary Boulevard shows that vehicles freely passed through Sanctuary Boulevard before the murder, suggesting the tire in the roadway was a ruse to get Bridegan to stop.

Ford F-150 pickup truck spotted by three security cameras on Shetter Avenue. The tire found on the Road belonged to a 2004 Ford 150 Lariat. The car has running boards, brown trim, and a silver toolbox. The truck was seen driving on Shetter Ave, passing the Police department close to Shanna and Mario’s house.

• Tire Ruse
• Vehicles were seen freely passing through Sanctuary Boulevard before the murder.
• The tire in the road appears to have been deliberately placed to make Bridegan stop.
• The tire was from a 2004 Ford F-150 Lariat, matching Tenon’s blue 2004 Ford F-150 Lariat.
• DNA evidence: Tenon’s DNA was identified on the recovered tire.
• Admission: When shown a photo of the tire, Tenon admitted owning it.
• Truck Surveillance & Identification
• Surveillance captured a blue Ford F-150 pickup truck near the crime scene.
• Tenon confirmed it was his truck.
• One surveillance still showed a spare tire in the bed of his truck. Tenon admitted it was his.
• Video showed the truck making trial runs about an hour before the murder, consistent with route practice.
• Minutes before the murder, the truck was seen trying to create distance between Bridegan’s vehicle and other traffic, likely to time the tire drop.

Timeline of Surveillance: March 2022 – Day of Murder

• 6:25:33 p.m. – 1712 Beach Boulevard
• Suspect truck traveled eastbound, close to where Bridegan had just dropped off his children.
• 6:42:01 p.m. – 3521 America Avenue
• Truck traveled southbound, just 0.19 miles from the crime scene.
• 6:43:06 p.m. – 4067 America Avenue / Sanctuary Parkway
• Truck slowed near the future murder location.
• Continued southbound, made a U-turn, and slowed again near the same spot.
• 6:44:59 p.m. – 3940 Grande Boulevard
• Truck turned northbound, drove toward Shetter Avenue.
• 6:52:48 p.m. – 101 Penman Road South (JBPD)
• Truck parked in a cul-de-sac on Shetter Avenue for ~19 minutes.
• This was ~0.20 miles from the home of Gardner & Fernandez Saldana.
• 7:50 p.m. – 2705 America Avenue
• Truck was directly in front of Bridegan’s vehicle.
• Appeared to be tailgating a white truck, creating space between itself and Bridegan.
• This was just two minutes before gunshots.
• 7:52:52 p.m. – 4067 America Avenue (Murder Scene)
• Bridegan’s car stopped with hazards on.
• Gunshots fired.
• A person was seen walking, then running, immediately after.
• 7:53:40 p.m. – 3940 Grande Boulevard
• One minute later, the truck was seen eastbound on Jacksonville Drive.
• 7:56:41 p.m. – 3940 Grande Boulevard
• Four minutes after the murder, a man in tan shirt, dark pants, boots, and light hat was seen walking away.
• Believed to be Tenon.
• 8:00:09 p.m. (actual) / 8:17:09 p.m. (timestamp) – 1600 Shetter Avenue
• Suspect truck reappeared, looped into a cul-de-sac, turned around, and left.
• Location again close to Gardner & Fernandez Saldana’s residence.
• Suggests the truck was driven by someone other than Tenon after the shooting.
• 8:13:33 p.m. – South Beach Parkway & Rip Tide Boulevard
• A male believed to be Tenon was seen walking northbound, on foot, ~0.46 miles from where the truck had been seen.

Investigative Conclusion

• Evidence shows the tire was intentionally placed to stop Bridegan.
• The spare tire was traced to Tenon’s truck, with his DNA confirmed.
• Surveillance demonstrated pre-murder route practice, timed execution, and post-murder separation of Tenon (on foot) and the suspect truck (driven away by someone else).
• Supports investigators’ finding that Tenon was not acting alone in the ambush.

Law Enforcement Tactics

• Controlled Contact
• Investigators planned to contact a close friend of Gardner’s who was in communication with her immediately after the homicide.
• The friend had already told JBPD she disliked Bridegan and identified herself as “for Shanna .”
• Affiant anticipated that the friend would inform Gardner of the new contact, which could lead Gardner to contact Fernandez Saldana.
• Media Leak Strategy
• Investigators planned a deliberate leak to media personnel, framed as coming from a “law enforcement source,” hinting at a new break in the case.
• The goal was to provoke communication among Gardner, Fernandez Saldana, and Tenon — possibly even spurring attempts to tamper with physical evidence.
• JBPD would then officially announce a press conference to add pressure.
• At the conference, JBPD planned to announce Tenon’s arrest on charges of:
• Conspiracy to Commit Murder
• Murder
• Tampering with Evidence
• Child Abuse
• Bridegan’s family was scheduled to speak to media immediately afterward, alongside Tenon’s first court appearance.
• If these steps did not trigger incriminating communications, investigators would pursue additional judicial approval for new investigative techniques.

Cell Phone Records

• Patterns of Contact
• Toll records showed spikes in phone calls among the conspirators in the days before and after the murder.
• In the six weeks before, contact was sporadic.
• Just before the murder, Fernandez Saldana called and texted Tenon repeatedly.
• During the murder timeframe, phones went dark — no calls, texts, or data — suggesting they were powered off or put in airplane mode.
• Tenon’s Two Phones
• Tenon carried two cell phones:
• Tenon 1: (904) 801-7612, Device Tag #1584152919
• Tenon 2: (904) 442-0513, Device Tag #1561556364
• On the night of the murder, both phones went dark before 6:00 p.m.
• About 40 minutes after the murder, one phone reconnected near Beaches Baptist Hospital (1.4 miles from the crime scene).
• The two phones attempted to contact each other while separated — investigators interpreted this as Tenon being on foot with one phone, while the other was left in or near the truck.
• Earlier Trips Matching Murder Route
• Location data from January 5 and January 29, 2022 showed Tenon driving a route nearly identical to Bridegan’s murder route — suggesting practice runs.

Google Location Data

• Google confirmed both of Tenon’s phones were in Jacksonville Beach on the night of the murder.
• Analysis revealed Fernandez Saldana:
• Drove to 5239 Potomac Avenue (Tenon’s residence).
• Left his phone there.
• Drove with Tenon toward:
• Bridegan’s residence
• The gymnastics studio where Bridegan’s daughter attended
• The murder scene
• Returned with Tenon to Potomac Avenue.
• Departed shortly after Tenon’s phone reconnected.
• Investigators concluded:
• No legitimate reason explained this trip.
• Tenon had no personal connection to Bridegan, his home, or his child’s gymnastics.
• Therefore, the only way Tenon knew the victim’s routine was through Fernandez Saldana.

Investigative Conclusion

• Gardner, Fernandez Saldana, and Tenon acted in coordination.
• Cell data proved sudden, deliberate silences during the murder.
• Google data tracked their exact movements to and from the crime scene.
• Surveillance placed Tenon and his truck at the scene with the planted tire.
• Investigators used controlled leaks and targeted press conferences to pressure the conspirators into exposing themselves through communication or evidence tampering.

June 28, 2022 – Witness Interviews

• Friend of Gardner and Fernandez
• Recounted that Gardner once told her:
• “Mario offered to get four guys and break into Bridegan’s residence…to take care of him, and nobody would ever know.”
• Said Fernandez told her:
• “You know I’ve killed people before.”
• She perceived this statement as a threat.
• Also said Gardner admitted she only married Fernandez for child custody reasons, to improve her standing in court and secure more money from her parents.
• College Friend / Ex-girlfriend of Fernandez
• Reported that Fernandez called her the night after the murder.
• He told her he knew who did it, describing the killing as a “hit and run.”
• She added that, despite this, Fernandez had never previously made direct threats toward Bridegan.

July 18, 2022 – Potomac Avenue Investigation

• Location: Rental house on Potomac Avenue in Jacksonville, owned by Fernandez.
• Discovery: Police observed a spare tire leaning against the house.
• Current renter explained he found the tire on the curb and told police they could take it.
• Notable Encounter: While the detective was loading the tire into his vehicle, Henry Tenon drove up.
• The detective and Tenon exchanged brief conversation about unrelated matters.
• Forensic Testing:
• The tire recovered from Potomac Avenue was later matched to the tire planted in the road at the murder scene.
• Follow-up with the Renter:
• Renter told investigators that after Tenon’s father passed away, Tenon went to Georgia to retrieve his father’s blue Ford pickup truck.
• This detail became crucial since surveillance had already linked a blue Ford F-150 Lariat to the crime scene.

Investigative Shift Toward Tenon

• Once the tire match was confirmed, focus narrowed sharply onto Henry Tenon.
• Investigators corroborated this lead with surveillance hits on Tenon’s truck across Jacksonville, tying him to Bridegan’s murder preparations and aftermath.

October 6, 2022 – Search Warrant at 5239 Potomac Avenue

• Property: Rental home owned by Mario Fernandez Saldana, rented by Henry Tenon.
• Occupants Present: Norma Davila, Devin Hightower, and Dane Hade were at the residence when the warrant was executed.

Evidence Collected:

• Tenon’s phone (“TENON 2”) recovered.
• Clothing, including work boots that matched the description of boots worn by an unknown male in relevant surveillance footage.
• A forensic download of TENON 2 yielded an audio recording between Tenon and another party discussing money.
• Tenon was heard saying he was waiting for $5,000 to clear from the bank, which he would then use to pay.
• This recording occurred two days after Tenon deposited the final $5,000 check from Fernandez Saldana.

Controlled Call with Fernandez Saldana:

• At 3:52 p.m., investigators initiated a controlled call to Mario Fernandez Saldana, telling him the ATF had executed a search warrant at 5239 Potomac Avenue.
• Fernandez Saldana immediately wanted to know what was taken.
• He claimed the search “did not make sense,” and apologized to the caller for the situation.
• The call ended at 3:58 p.m.

Financial Records & Transactions

• Unusual Deposits:
• About 45 days after the murder, Tenon deposited three checks written by Fernandez Saldana:
• March 28, 2022 – $2,000
• March 29, 2022 – $3,000
• April 4, 2022 – $5,000
• Tenon’s account history usually held less than $400 and was often overdrawn. These deposits were anomalous and consistent with a murder-for-hire payment structure.
• The checks were drawn on an account belonging to First Choice Home Rentals LLC, owned by Gardner and Fernandez Saldana.
• Source of Funds:
• First Choice Home Rentals LLC was funded by transfers from Gardner’s irrevocable trust account, which was funded by her wealthy parents.
• During the Potomac Avenue search, investigators found a safe containing $2,000 in cash, an unusual amount compared to Tenon’s normal financial situation.
• Audio Recording Evidence:
• On one of Tenon’s recovered phones, an audio recording captured him talking about a money transfer and waiting for $5,000 to clear.
• This linked directly to the timing of Fernandez Saldana’s check payments.

Motive & Financial Context

• Trust and Financial Dependence:
• Gardner’s primary income was through an Irrevocable Trust funded by her parents.
• Fernandez Saldana was the Trustee.
• The trust contained explicit language:
• “When our daughter, Shanna, shall have no further legal entanglements with her ex-husband, Jared G. Bridegan, she may elect to serve as Trustee.”
• This gave Gardner and Fernandez Saldana financial incentive to eliminate Bridegan.
• Income & Lifestyle:
• Fernandez Saldana had little independent income outside of the trust:
• Minimal rental property earnings.
• Some personal training out of his garage.
• VA disability benefits he obtained fraudulently (ineligible due to a less-than-honorable discharge).
• Bridegan’s Custody Routine:
• Every other Wednesday night, Bridegan had dinner with the twins (from his marriage to Gardner) and brought his 2-year-old daughter so the siblings could bond.
• On the night of his murder, he dropped the twins at Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home before heading back to his own home in Nocatee.
• Gardner and Fernandez Saldana had intimate knowledge of this fixed routine and route, which had been consistent for eight months.
• They therefore had the means, motive, and opportunity to set up the ambush.
• Marital Situation:
• By early 2022, Gardner and Fernandez Saldana were planning a divorce and even informed the twins’ school.
• Publicly, through lawyers and media, they claimed to still live together as a couple.
• In reality:
• Fernandez Saldana was living in Orlando, Florida.
• Gardner relocated to Washington State, moving into a million-dollar home purchased through an LLC controlled by her parents.
• She enrolled the twins in Washington schools but had not yet switched her driver’s license.
• The Jacksonville Beach home where Bridegan last saw his children was sitting empty.

Investigative Conclusion

• The search warrant tied Tenon’s property and phone directly to incriminating evidence (boots, financial conversations).
• The financial trail connected Gardner’s family trust → First Choice Home Rentals LLC → Fernandez Saldana → Tenon, aligning with the murder-for-hire theory.
• The trust language gave Gardner a direct financial motive to eliminate Bridegan.
• Their knowledge of Bridegan’s custody schedule provided the opportunity and timing for the ambush.
• Their separation and relocation further illustrated motive (divorce planning, financial control, desire to sever Bridegan permanently from the family dynamic).

August 22, 2022 – Interview with John Biggerstaff (Target #5)

• Gun Ownership & Relevance to Murder
• Biggerstaff admitted to owning a 10mm caliber handgun but claimed he no longer knew its location.
• Bridegan was killed with a 10mm firearm.
• Investigators noted the potential connection.
• Background
• Biggerstaff served 22 years in the Navy.
• He knew Mario Fernandez Saldana for many years:
• Saldana dated Biggerstaff’s daughter in high school.
• Later, the two became workout partners until Saldana joined the Army.
• They reconnected after Saldana returned to Jacksonville Beach.
• Connection to Tenon
• Biggerstaff ran a handyman business and did some work at the Potomac Avenue rental where Tenon lived.
• He claimed he hadn’t seen Tenon in “a year or two” and did not really know him.

Device IDs Linked to Biggerstaff

From Biggerstaff’s phone and Google data, investigators identified associated accounts:

• Google Account ID: 291875041229 – Name: Osiris Verge | Phone: (904) 945-0945
• Google Account ID: 93549354480 – Name: Zoraida Verge | Phone: (904) 600-2995
• Google Account ID: 564385545556 – Name: Donald G. Crews | Phone: (904) 614-9511

Digital & Location Data

• January 26, 2022 – Firearm Searches
• At 1:15 a.m., Biggerstaff searched online for:
• 10mm Glock pistol
• 9mm S&W pistol
• He visited guns.com and viewed details on a Glock 20 Gen4 (10mm pistol).
• February 17, 2022 – Naval Station Mayport Visit
• At 1:52 p.m., Biggerstaff drove to Naval Station Mayport.
• Specifically visited Outdoor Adventures, where he rented:
• 40 chairs
• 5 tables
• 1 canopy
• 4 canopy sides
• 1 cooler

Statements About Gardner & Fernandez

• On Gardner
• Biggerstaff said he once commented about “how perfect Gardner’s butt was” — after which they no longer discussed her.
• On Fernandez Saldana
• Saldana confided that he was getting a divorce from Gardner.
• Described her as an ex-Mormon.
• Talked about ongoing court issues with Bridegan.
• Biggerstaff claimed he hadn’t realized Saldana and Gardner had been married for a year.
• Social Interaction
• Described first meeting Gardner:
• Met at the beach, afterward Saldana invited them to a barbecue.
• Biggerstaff’s wife declined, and that was the last time they saw Gardner.
• On the Divorce Issues
• Said Saldana framed the divorce as being due to disagreements about child-rearing.
• Discussed Bridegan’s frequent court battles with Gardner.
• Saldana mentioned his plan to buy a toy hauler to live in.

Investigative Significance

• Potential Firearm Link: The 10mm gun Biggerstaff admitted to owning — but could not produce — matched the caliber of the murder weapon.
• Connection to Both Fernandez & Tenon:
• Long-term ties with Fernandez (dating his daughter, workout partners, ongoing conversations).
• Handyman work at Tenon’s Potomac Avenue rental property.
• Digital Evidence: Google and firearm search history show interest in 10mm pistols weeks before the murder.
• Statements: Offered investigators additional insight into Fernandez and Gardner’s marital dynamics, custody battles, and lifestyle planning (divorce, moving into toy hauler).

January 25, 2023 – Arrest of Henry Arthur Tenon

• Announcement: Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith and State Attorney Melissa Nelson held a press conference.
• Arrested: Henry Arthur Tenon, 61.
• Charges:
• Conspiracy to Commit Murder (First Degree)
• Second-Degree Murder with a Weapon
• Accessory After the Fact to a Capital Felony
• Child Abuse
• Context: Tenon was arrested for his role in the February 16, 2022 ambush and execution of Jared Bridegan.

February 1, 2023 – Charging Document Filed

• Press Conference: State Attorney Melissa Nelson stated, “We know that Tenon did not act alone.”
• Formal Filing: A charging document was submitted, alleging that:
• Between January 4, 2022, and February 16, 2022, Tenon “did agree, conspire, combine or confederate with other human beings to, unlawfully and from a premeditated design, effect the death of Jared Bridegan.”
• Investigative Links:
• Tenon had been renting 5239 Potomac Avenue from Mario Fernandez Saldana.
• Fernandez Saldana purchased the home March 30, 2017, and sold it on October 18, 2022, shortly after investigators executed a search warrant there.
• Financial Records:
• On October 14, 2022, detectives uncovered three handwritten checks from Fernandez Saldana to Tenon.
• Phone Records:
• In February 2022 (month of the murder): 35 calls between Tenon and Fernandez Saldana.
• In March: 30 calls.
• In May and June: 5–9 calls per month.
• Background:
• Bridegan and Shanna Gardner married in 2010, divorced in 2015.
• They shared custody of their nine-year-old twins.
• Gardner later met Fernandez Saldana at her CrossFit gym in 2018, where he worked as a maintenance man.
• Bridegan and Gardner’s relationship was described as highly acrimonious, with ongoing court disputes.

March 16, 2023 – Tenon’s Guilty Plea

• Court Action: Tenon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
• Plea Agreement:
• Tenon admitted his role in Bridegan’s murder.
• Agreed to testify truthfully against co-conspirators, including Fernandez Saldana.
• In exchange, Tenon would receive a prison sentence of 15 years to life (significantly less than the potential life without parole or death penalty).
• Prosecutor Statement: Melissa Nelson emphasized Tenon’s cooperation as a key development:
• He agreed to testify truthfully against those he worked with to murder Jared Bridegan.
• Significance: Tenon was the first suspect arrested and the first to formally admit involvement in the plot, directly linking Fernandez Saldana and potentially Gardner to the conspiracy.

Investigative and Legal Impact

• Tenon’s arrest and plea confirmed the conspiracy theory investigators had been building for months:
• Phone records: heavy communication with Fernandez Saldana before and after the murder.
• Financial trail: unusual checks from Fernandez (via LLC tied to Gardner’s trust) to Tenon.
• Property link: Tenon lived at 5239 Potomac Ave, owned by Fernandez until shortly before law enforcement executed a warrant there.
• His guilty plea and cooperation became the foundation for pursuing charges against Fernandez Saldana and Gardner, setting the stage for later arrests in 2023.

March 16, 2023 – Indictment & Arrest of Mario Fernandez Saldana

• Event: Hours after Henry Tenon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, prosecutors announced that a Fourth Circuit Grand Jury had returned an indictment against Mario Fernandez Saldana.
• Location of Arrest: Fernandez was taken into custody in Kissimmee, Florida.
• Announcement: State Attorney Melissa Nelson emphasized:
• “The investigation remains active and ongoing and has not stopped today with the arrest of Mario Fernandez.”

Charges in the Indictment

1. First-Degree Murder

• Punishable by death or mandatory life in prison.
• Accused of being a principal in Bridegan’s ambush killing.

1. Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder

• Punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
• Evidence shows Fernandez plotted with Henry Tenon and others.

1. Solicitation to Commit a Capital Felony

• Punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
• Evidence establishes Fernandez actively solicited Tenon to carry out Bridegan’s murder.

1. Child Abuse

• Based on the fact that Bridegan’s 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, was sitting in the car at the time of the shooting and was directly in harm’s way.
• Prosecutors emphasized the murder “reasonably could have been expected to cause physical or mental injury” to the child.

Key Evidence in the Arrest Warrant

• Financial Records
• Investigators found three handwritten checks from Fernandez to Tenon:
• March 28, 2022 – $2,000
• March 29, 2022 – $3,000
• April 4, 2022 – $5,000
• These payments stood out as abnormal deposits in Tenon’s account.
• Phone Records
• Documented repeated communications between Tenon and Fernandez around the time of the murder:
• 35 calls in February 2022 (month of the murder)
• 30 calls in March 2022
• 9 calls in May and June 2022
• Overall Findings
• Evidence demonstrated Fernandez:
• Solicited Tenon to murder Bridegan.
• Conspired with Tenon and others.
• Provided financial payments tied to the conspiracy.
• Knew the murder would place Bridegan’s young child in grave danger.

Legal and Investigative Impact

• Fernandez Saldana’s indictment established him as the second major suspect formally charged in the case.
• Prosecutors tied him directly to both the murder-for-hire payments and the pattern of communications with Tenon.
• The child abuse charge highlighted the aggravating factor that Bridegan’s daughter, Bexley, witnessed the killing.
• With Tenon’s plea deal and cooperation, Fernandez became the focus of the state’s conspiracy case, setting the stage for eventual prosecutorial attention toward Shanna Gardner.

February 23, 2022 – Suggestion of Death in Divorce Case

• Event: Just one week after Jared Bridegan’s murder, a suggestion of death was filed in the St. Johns County dissolution case between Bridegan and Gardner.
• Significance:
• Under the dissolution decree, Gardner could not permanently relocate the children out of Florida without Bridegan’s agreement or a court order.
• Bridegan’s death eliminated that restriction.
• Gardner later moved out of state with the twins.
• Bridegan’s death also removed her last legal entanglement with her ex-husband, freeing her to control her trust funds.

August 17, 2023 – Arrest of Shanna Gardner

Indictment & Charges

• Grand Jury Indictment: Returned charges of:
• First-Degree Murder – punishable by death or mandatory life in prison.
• Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder – up to 30 years.
• Solicitation to Commit First-Degree Murder – up to 30 years.
• Child Abuse – based on Bridegan’s 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, being in the vehicle during the ambush.
• Prosecutors’ Position: Florida prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty against Gardner.

Arrest & Search Warrant Execution

• Location: Gardner was living with her twins in West Richland, Washington.
• Date/Time: Thursday morning, August 17, 2023.
• Agencies Involved: Arrest carried out by ATF agents from Jacksonville and Yakima, in coordination with Jacksonville Beach PD.
• Search of Home & Vehicle:
• Federal agents executed a search warrant on Gardner’s residence and car.
• Seized items included:
• Apple Watch (taken directly from Gardner)
• iPhone (found on Gardner)
• Wingtech cell phone
• Acer laptop
• Tablet
• Two Apple MacBooks
• T-Mobile SIM card
• Officers informed a household member that they were looking specifically for phones. The individual replied, “Like burner phones?”
• One of Gardner’s children told investigators that she kept “important electronics in her bedroom closet.”

Custody & Booking

• Arrest: Gardner was detained at her Laurel Drive home.
• Family Present: Her mother and children were inside during the raid, supervised by police.
• Booking: She was taken into custody, booked at Benton County Jail, and awaited extradition to Duval County, Florida.
• Media: Bodycam footage of the arrest was released, showing her detention by ATF agents.

Indictment Timelines Compared

• Mario Fernandez Saldana: Indictment alleged he plotted the murder in the four months before Bridegan’s death.
• Shanna Gardner: Indictment stated she may have been scheming to kill Bridegan as early as May 2015, a few months before their divorce was finalized.

Investigative & Legal Impact

• Gardner’s arrest positioned her as the third major figure charged in the murder-for-hire conspiracy, following:
• Henry Tenon (hitman, pled guilty March 2023).
• Mario Fernandez Saldana (orchestrator, indicted March 2023).
• With Gardner now charged, prosecutors have formally tied all three conspirators into the murder scheme: the financier (Gardner via trust funds), the planner (Fernandez Saldana), and the shooter (Tenon).