How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Florida father of 4

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When fatal pictures have been fired on a dismal stretch of street close to the Sanctuary community on Feb. 16, 2022, investigators say it was once the fruits of a months-long conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan, according to News 6 partner WJXT.

The St. Johns County father of 4 had simply left the house of his ex-wife in Jacksonville Beach and stopped to transfer a tire out of the street, in accordance to investigators. A tire they say was once positioned there deliberately.

Bridegan, 33, was then shot at close range several times whilst his infant daughter was once nonetheless strapped into her automotive seat within the again of his SUV. Police stated bullets fired at Bridegan went within the automotive, inches from his daughter’s automotive seat.

The guy who says he pulled that cause — 61-year-old Henry Tenon — pleaded to blame Thursday to second-degree homicide with a weapon in Bridegan’s ambush killing. Tenon was once arrested closing month.

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State Attorney Melissa Nelson stated in a news convention Thursday that after Tenon pleaded to blame, he agreed to testify in opposition to a moment individual investigators say was once concerned within the homicide plot: Mario Fernandez Saldana.

“We know Henry Tenon did not act alone, and Tenon has confirmed this to be true. His cooperation has both corroborated evidence collected during the investigation and provided additional evidence against Mario Fernandez Saldana for his role in the planning and execution of Jared’s murder,” Nelson stated.

Fernandez, 34, is the husband of Bridegan’s ex-wife, Shanna Gardner-Fernandez. He was once arrested Thursday morning in Kissimmee and was once being held within the Orange County prison.

He seemed Friday morning in Orange County courtroom and might be transferred to Duval County to face fees of first-degree homicide with a weapon, conspiracy to devote first-degree homicide, solicitation to devote a capital prison and kid abuse.

“This is a capital felony punishable by death or mandatory life in prison,” Nelson stated Thursday.

Investigators stated the conspiracy to kill Bridegan started Nov. 1, 2021, in accordance to Fernandez’s indictment.

Tenon’s unique courtroom information stated he was concerned within the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 — simply over a month earlier than Bridegan was killed.

Investigators stated when Tenon was once arrested on an unrelated prison using fee in August 2022, they wondered him about Bridegan’s homicide and a Ford F-150 truck they were on the lookout for for the reason that capturing.

Tenon was once later arrested in January 2023 for Bridegan’s homicide. Investigators stated the one link between Tenon and Bridegan was once Fernandez.

The News4JAX I-TEAM had up to now uncovered records confirming that Tenon rented a house owned via Fernandez in Northwest Jacksonville, about 25 miles from the scene of the Jacksonville Beach capturing. Nelson showed this information on Thursday.

According to the arrest warrant for Fernandez, financial institution information confirmed 3 handwritten tests that Fernandez wrote to Tenon. The quantity of the tests was once redacted from the file.

Investigators additionally found out that the 2 males had greater than 70 interactions by way of telephone within the months earlier than and after Bridegan was once killed.

The warrant reads: “phone records show that Tenon and Fernandez had 35 phone contacts in February, 30 contacts in March and five to nine contacts in May and June, 2022.”

Reganel Reeves, an lawyer with Esquire Litigation Group who’s unaffiliated with the case, stated the calls are vital.

“The 35 calls could be argued that it was preparation and planning, and it appears that the shooter knew the victim’s schedule, knew where he would be at, setting up a trap possibly,” Reeves stated.

According to the warrant, Bridegan were on a regimen “date night” together with his youngsters the night time he was once killed and had dropped off the 2 youngsters he shared together with his ex-wife earlier than taking the standard direction he traveled house.

“This road, unlike the nearby commercial area, is dark and mostly residential with no businesses in the immediate area,” the warrant reads.

The weapon from the capturing has now not been recovered, however in accordance to felony protection lawyer Curtis Fallgatter, who may be now not affiliated with this example, prosecutors may now not want it.

“The absence of a gun or other evidence should not affect the ability of a jury to see that connection,” stated Fallgatter, a former federal prosecutor. “We know that Tenon had absolutely no reason to murder this gentleman, and nothing was taken. So it wasn’t a crime of any robbery.”

Reeves stated Tenon agreeing to testify is “damaging.”

“I think it’s very damaging to the ex’s husband in this case, the defendant, to have somebody very connected to him to testify to say that he was involved,” Reeves stated.

Fallgatter stated it’s now not going Tenon might be dealing with the loss of life penalty, however Fernandez may.

“It is a very heinous crime and a contract murder deserves the death penalty in appropriate circumstances,” Fallgatter stated. “But second of all, if the wife was involved, they would want to bring her to justice. So that would put pressure on him, rightfully so.”

The state lawyer didn’t give main points on a imaginable cause, however the arrest warrant notes Fernandez’s spouse had a extremely acrimonious divorce from Bridegan, who had a contentious courting with Fernandez.

Gardner and Bridegan have been married in 2010 and divorced in 2015. They shared custody of their 9-year-old twins. The arrest warrant additionally makes be aware that “up until the murder, Gardner shared equal custody of her children with Bridegan.”

The arrest warrant stated Gardner met Fernandez at her CrossFit fitness center in 2018. He labored there as a repairs guy.

There’s been so much of public hobby in Bridegan’s ex-wife, who has proclaimed her innocence in interviews with different shops.

According to assets, Gardner (now Gardner-Fernandez) moved together with her youngsters around the nation to Benton County, Washington, the place her circle of relatives has a house.

The Daily Mail reported in January that Fernandez was once staying together with his brother in Orlando. He was once arrested in that space Thursday.

Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, stated in February that the news of a conspiracy had most effective showed her suspicions.

She spoke once more at Thursday’s news convention.

“We have fought hard for the truth, and the world now knows what we’ve known all along — that Jared truly was an innocent victim,” Kirsten Bridegan stated on the news convention. (*4*)

Nelson stated the investigation continues and lots of main points are nonetheless being withheld as a result of of that.

Duval County courtroom information don’t display any prior arrests for Fernandez; only some visitors tickets.

Fernandez is represented via Jesse Dreicer. He stated he’s ready to constitute his consumer. Dreicer showed earlier than the arrest that he represents Fernandez and stated he does now not know when his consumer might be moved to Jacksonville.

Hank Coxe, the lawyer for Gardner-Fernandez, informed News4JAX: “I think it is inappropriate to comment publicly about a pending matter.”

The Public Defender’s Office is representing Tenon. News4JAX additionally left a message with Chief Public Defender Charlie Cofer after the to blame plea was once introduced Thursday.

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