Jared Bridegan Case Files

Henry Tenon

Murder of Jared Bridegan

1998

• Offense: Driving with license suspended or revoked
• Outcome: Not specified

1999

• Offense(s):
• Trespass in structure or conveyance, occupied
• Battery
• Criminal mischief, $200 to $1,000 damage
• Plea: No contest
• Sentence: 25 days in jail

2000

• Offense: Operating a motor vehicle with suspended license as a habitual traffic offender
• Outcome: Not specified

2002

• Offense: Worthless check / obtaining property under $150
• Plea: Guilty
• Sentence: 2 days in jail

2003

• Offense #1: Domestic battery
• Plea: No contest
• Sentence: 1 day in jail, 12 months probation
• Offense #2: Operating a motor vehicle with suspended license as a habitual traffic offender

2008

• Offense(s):
• Operating a motor vehicle with license revoked
• Leaving the scene of an accident with property damage
• Outcome: Not specified

2013

• Offense #1: Domestic battery, hit girlfriend several times in the face
• Plea: No contest
• Sentence: 60 days in jail, 12 months probation
• Note: Girlfriend filed an injunction for protection
• Offense #2: Driving under the influence

2014

• Offense: Driving under the influence
• Outcome: Not specified

2016

• Offense(s):
• Driving with license suspended or revoked
• Careless driving
• Outcome: Not specified

August 13, 2022

• Offense: Leaving the scene of an accident with property damage
• Outcome: Not specified

Jared Bridegan Murder Jared Bridegan, a 33-year-old Microsoft executive and father of four, was tragically murdered on February 16, 2022, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. After dropping off his twin children at his ex-wife’s residence, he encountered a tire obstructing the road. When he exited his vehicle to remove it, he was ambushed and shot multiple times at close range. His 2-year-old daughter was in the backseat but was unharmed. Source

2010 to 2021, Background and Early Connections

• Tenon works various handyman and construction jobs throughout Jacksonville.
• He develops a long term connection to Mario Fernandez Saldana through property work and rental arrangements.
• He begins renting the home at 5239 Potomac Avenue, which is owned by Fernandez Saldana.
• He continues to struggle financially, frequently overdrawing his account and carrying balances under four hundred dollars.

Late 2021, Increasing Contact With Fernandez

• Communication between Tenon and Fernandez becomes more consistent.
• Fernandez retains control over Tenon’s housing and access to property resources.
• Investigators later interpret this relationship as positioning Tenon for recruitment into a violent criminal plan.

January 5, 2022, First Practice Run

• Location data shows Tenon driving a route that closely matches the future ambush route taken by Bridegan.
• The route includes movements near Sanctuary Boulevard and the neighborhoods relevant to Bridegan’s custody exchanges.
• Investigators identify this as a potential preparatory run.

January 26, 2022, Firearm Searches by Connected Associate

• Biggerstaff performs online searches for a 10mm Glock pistol and other handguns.
• While this is Biggerstaff’s activity, investigators later evaluate whether Tenon had access to or knowledge of this weapon type.

January 29, 2022

• Second practice run observed.
• Similar route toward Sanctuary Boulevard.

February 2022

• Prosecutors allege Tenon was solicited by Mario Fernandez Saldana to kill Jared Bridegan.
• Preparation: Tenon was allegedly provided with information about Jared’s routine and route, specifically his regular Wednesday night visit to drop off the twins at Shanna’s home.

February 16, 2022

• Before 6:00 p.m.: Both of Tenon’s phones go dark.
  • No calls, texts, or data are recorded.
  • Investigators interpret this as deliberate evasion due to powering off or airplane mode use.
• 6:57 p.m.: Ambush and shooting.
  • Bridegan is shot multiple times after stopping for a tire placed in the roadway.
  • Surveillance and digital evidence later place Tenon’s truck in the vicinity before and after the ambush.
• Approximately 40 minutes after the murder, one of Tenon’s phones reconnects near Beaches Baptist Hospital, one point four miles from the scene.
• The second phone remains separate and attempts to call the first phone.
• Investigators conclude Tenon was on foot with one device while the other stayed in or near his truck.

February 17 to March 2022, Immediate Aftermath

• Call activity resumes between Tenon and Fernandez.
• Investigators see a pattern of sudden and increased communication compared to the six weeks before the killing.

March 2022, Murder for Hire Payments

• Tenon deposits three checks from Fernandez’s LLC, First Choice Home Rentals.
• These deposits are inconsistent with Tenon’s typical financial history.
• Payment timeline:
• March 28, 2022: two thousand dollars
• March 29, 2022: three thousand dollars
• April 4, 2022: five thousand dollars
• These payments align with the murder for hire theory.

April 2022, Recorded Conversation

• Tenon creates an audio recording discussing a five thousand dollar payment clearing at the bank.
• This recording occurs two days after the final check from Fernandez.
• Investigators later use this recording as direct financial evidence of motive and payment.

May to September 2022, Building the Case

• Surveillance, call records, and Google data link Tenon repeatedly to movement patterns associated with the crime.
• Investigators map multiple device hits showing overlap between Tenon and Fernandez.
• Tenon continues living at the Potomac Avenue home under Fernandez’s ownership.

October 6, 2022, Search Warrant at 5239 Potomac Avenue

• ATF and JBPD execute a search warrant at Tenon’s residence.
• Evidence seized includes:
• Phone labeled as TENON 2
• Work boots matching boots seen on surveillance
• Clothing
• A safe containing two thousand dollars in cash
• Digital download captures conversations about money and payments.

Controlled Call Same Day

• Investigators call Fernandez and inform him of the search.
• Fernandez immediately asks what was taken.
• He says the situation does not make sense and apologizes.
• Call ends after six minutes.

Late 2022, Investigative Focus Shifts Heavily Toward Tenon

• Forensic evidence, financial transactions, device data, and location mapping all converge.
• Tenon becomes the central physical actor in the murder for hire plot.
• Investigators also uncover his role as the shooter.

January 25, 2023

• Arrest: Henry Tenon, a 61-year-old former tenant of Mario Fernandez Saldana, is arrested.
• Charges: Second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory after the fact.
• Breakthrough: Authorities say Tenon’s arrest came after forensic and electronic evidence, combined with witness statements, linked him to the crime.
• Phone and Vehicle Evidence: Phone data allegedly placed Tenon near the crime scene at the time of the murder. He was also seen driving a Ford F-150 truck, later tied to the crime through witness tips and forensic analysis.

March 2023

• Plea: Tenon pleads guilty to second-degree murder as part of a cooperation agreement with the prosecution.
• Agreement: In exchange for his plea and truthful testimony against Mario Fernandez Saldana and Shanna Gardner, Tenon avoids a possible death sentence.
• Sentence: 15 years to life in prison, with potential leniency based on cooperation.

March 16, 2023

• Second Arrest: Mario Fernandez Saldana, the husband of Jared’s ex-wife Shanna Gardner, is arrested.
• Charges: First-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child abuse.
• Prosecutors: Announce intent to seek the death penalty.

August 17, 2023

• Third Arrest: Shanna Gardner, Jared’s ex-wife, is arrested in Washington state after a grand jury indictment.
• Charges: First-degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation, and child abuse.
• Extradition: Gardner is extradited to Florida. Prosecutors also seek the death penalty.

March 2024

• Discovery Disputes: Defense teams for Gardner and Fernandez argue there is no direct communication tying either of them to Henry Tenon.
• Prosecution Claims: Payments were funneled to Tenon via companies connected to Fernandez and Gardner.

February 2025

• Recantation: Henry Tenon reportedly recants key parts of his confession, claiming he was pressured into implicating Fernandez and Gardner.
• Impact: Raises significant concerns about the prosecution’s case and credibility of testimony.

March 7, 2025

• Public Report: Media outlets publish contradictions between Tenon’s sworn statements and the prosecutor’s narrative.
• Legal Uncertainty: Defense motions to dismiss or limit charges increase.

October 20, 2025

• Trial Start: Jury selection scheduled to begin in the joint capital murder trial of Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez Saldana.
• Prosecutors: Continue to pursue the death penalty for both defendants.

Key Individuals Involved

• Henry Tenon: A former tenant of Mario Fernandez Saldana, Tenon was arrested in January 2023. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against the other suspects. Tenon was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• Mario Fernandez Saldana: The husband of Shanna Gardner, Jared’s ex-wife. Arrested in March 2023, he faces charges including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child abuse. He has pleaded not guilty.
• Shanna Gardner: Jared’s ex-wife, arrested in August 2023 and indicted on the same charges as her husband. Prosecutors allege she orchestrated the murder due to a contentious divorce and custody battle. Gardner has pleaded not guilty.

In 2025, Tenon claimed his previous testimony implicating Gardner and Fernandez was false. He stated he confessed under pressure and had no involvement in the murder. This development has raised concerns about the prosecution’s case.

• Recantation Letter: Tenon writes to the court and his attorneys claiming:
• His confession was made under duress.
• He was pressured by investigators to implicate Fernandez and Gardner.
• He did not know them and was not involved in a conspiracy.
• Impact: The recantation raises serious concerns about the credibility of the prosecution’s case and triggers new defense motions.
• Prosecutorial Response: Prosecutors dispute the recantation, suggesting it may be a tactical move or the result of pressure or rethinking. They continue to present circumstantial and financial evidence tying Tenon to the plot.

Evidence Disputes: Defense attorneys argue there is no direct communication linking Gardner to Tenon. Nonetheless, prosecutors presented evidence of financial transactions from a company co-owned by Gardner and Fernandez to Tenon, suggesting payment for the murder. Key Evidence Linking Tenon to the Case

1. Digital Forensics: Cell phone records placing him near the murder scene.
2. Vehicle: Eyewitness descriptions and surveillance footage tied his truck to the area.
3. Financial Records: Payments from a company linked to Fernandez Saldana.
4. Text Messages: While no direct texts between Tenon and Gardner have been found, investigators allege Tenon communicated through Fernandez.
5. Guilty Plea and Testimony: His initial detailed confession supported prosecutors’ theory of a planned, paid hit.

Supporting Evidence, Beyond Tenon’s Testimony

• Surveillance Footage: Places a vehicle linked to Tenon near the scene.
• Cell Tower Data: Places Tenon’s phone near Jared’s murder scene during the time of the killing.
• Payment Records: Financial transactions from businesses tied to Fernandez were traced to Tenon.
• Witness Statements: Several witnesses allegedly described Tenon discussing the plot beforehand, not yet confirmed in court.

Records

Case Records

Henry Tenon case records and related files in the Murder of Jared Bridegan