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The Jared Bridegan Case: Where It Stands and What Happens Next

Updated Monday, October 19, 2026.

Jared Bridegan was shot and killed in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, on February 16, 2022. One man, Mario Fernandez Saldana, was convicted of his murder on August 26, 2026. Two others, his ex-wife Shanna Gardner and Henry Tenon, are charged. They have pleaded not guilty. Their joint trial is set for May 2027.

Who Jared was

Jared Bridegan was a father of four. He was a software engineer who worked for Microsoft. He lived in St. Johns County, Florida, with his wife, Kirsten Bridegan (Action News Jax, Sept. 18, 2026; News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026).

On the night he died, he had taken his children out for dinner. He dropped off his twins at their mother’s home. Then he drove toward home with his 2-year-old daughter in the back seat (State Attorney’s Office, Aug. 26, 2026).

A tire was lying in the road on Sanctuary Boulevard. He got out to move it. He was shot there. Police said the tire was put there on purpose to make him stop (Action News Jax, Sept. 18, 2026). His daughter was not hit.

This case is about Jared first. He was a dad and a husband.

Where the case stands today

There are three people in this case. Each one is at a different stage.

PersonRole in the caseStatus as of Oct. 19, 2026
Mario Fernandez SaldanaConvictedFound guilty Aug. 26, 2026. Not yet sentenced. A new-trial motion and an appeal are reported.
Shanna GardnerChargedPleaded not guilty. Presumed innocent. Trial set for May 2027.
Henry TenonChargedPleaded not guilty. Presumed innocent. Trial set for May 2027.

The conviction: Mario Fernandez Saldana

What the jury decided. On August 26, 2026, a Duval County jury found Mario Fernandez Saldana guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony. The jury deliberated for about four hours (State Attorney’s Office, Aug. 26, 2026; Action News Jax, Sept. 18, 2026). He was married to Shanna Gardner at the time of the killing.

The sentence he faces. First-degree murder in Florida carries a mandatory life sentence. Judge London Kite will set the sentence (State Attorney’s Office, Aug. 26, 2026). News4JAX reported that sentencing is set for October 27, 2026 (News4JAX, Sept. 29, 2026). Court dates can move.

His challenge. His lawyers filed a motion for a new trial on September 3, 2026. They say he did not get a fair trial (Action News Jax, Sept. 9, 2026). News4JAX reported on September 29 that his lawyers are appealing. We found no public report of a ruling as of October 19, 2026.

So the conviction stands. But his challenge is still pending. It is not fully settled.

The charges: Shanna Gardner and Henry Tenon

Shanna Gardner is Jared’s ex-wife. She is 39. A September 2026 indictment charges her with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Two older charges, solicitation and child abuse, were dropped (Action News Jax, Sept. 18, 2026; News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026). She has pleaded not guilty.

Henry Tenon is 65. Prosecutors say he was the gunman. He is now charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Other charges were dropped (News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026). He once agreed to a plea deal. He withdrew that plea in early 2026 and now pleads not guilty (Court TV, June 17, 2026). We did not find a separate public report of his plea on the newest indictment.

What prosecutors allege. Prosecutors say Gardner and Fernandez Saldana planned together to hire Tenon to kill Jared. They link the plan to custody fights over the twins (News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026). These are claims. They are not proven against Gardner or Tenon.

What the defense says. Gardner’s lawyer, Jose Baez, has argued that messages the state points to were part of a long-running joke (News4JAX, Aug. 26, 2026).

Fernandez Saldana’s verdict does not decide anything about Gardner or Tenon. A new jury will hear their case. Both are presumed innocent unless a jury finds them guilty.

Key dates ahead

  • October 27, 2026: Fernandez Saldana’s sentencing, as reported by News4JAX on September 29. An earlier report also listed a pretrial hearing for Gardner that day. Newer reports do not mention it, so we treat it as unconfirmed.
  • April 26, 2027: Gardner’s final pretrial hearing (Action News Jax, Sept. 18, 2026). The time is not public.
  • Week of May 3, 2027: Jury selection for the joint trial of Gardner and Tenon (News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026).
  • May 10, 2027: The joint trial is set to start. It is planned to last about three weeks.

Check our Court Calendar for the latest dates. Every entry shows when we last checked it.

Questions people ask

What happened to Jared Bridegan?

He was shot and killed on February 16, 2022, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He had stopped his car to move a tire from the road. Police said the tire was placed there on purpose.

Who has been convicted in the Jared Bridegan case?

Mario Fernandez Saldana. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation on August 26, 2026. His lawyers have asked for a new trial and are appealing. No ruling was public as of October 19, 2026.

Has Mario Fernandez Saldana been sentenced?

Not yet, as of October 19, 2026. He faces a mandatory life sentence. News4JAX reported sentencing is set for October 27, 2026.

Is Shanna Gardner guilty?

No court has found her guilty. She is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy. She has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent.

When is Shanna Gardner’s trial?

Jury selection is set for the week of May 3, 2027. Testimony is set to start May 10, 2027. She will be tried together with Henry Tenon.

Why are Gardner and Tenon being tried together?

Prosecutors took both cases back to a grand jury in September 2026. The cases were combined, and the judge confirmed one joint trial (News4JAX, Oct. 7, 2026).

Why did it take so long to get to trial?

Big cases with more than one defendant often take years. Here, charges changed, a plea was withdrawn, and the trial was moved more than once. Our theory is that the joint trial could still move. That is a guess, not a fact.

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Sources

Follow every hearing on our Court Calendar: https://cassiancreed.com/court-calendar/

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