Shanna Gardner, the ex-wife of slain Microsoft manager Jared Bridegan, allegedly wrote a message of encouragement on a payment to the hitman she hired to carry out the murder.
Shanna Gardner's Chilling Message on Hitman Check
In a Jacksonville, Florida courtroom, chilling testimony emerged during a bond hearing for Shanna Gardner, the ex-wife of Jared Bridegan, a slain Microsoft manager. Witnesses revealed that Gardner wrote "Good luck!" on a check written to Henry Tenon, the hitman she allegedly hired to kill Bridegan.
According to Detective Chris Johns of the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, Tenon stated that the check was the first of several payments disguised as an investment in his pallet company. However, it was actually payment for the murder of Bridegan.
Prosecutors described the arrangement between Gardner, her second husband Mario Fernandez Saldana, and Tenon as a "contract killing." Gardner and Saldana are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child endangerment.
Bridegan was shot and killed on February 16, 2022, in Jacksonville Beach after coming across a tire in the middle of a secluded road, allegedly a setup. His then-2-and-a-half-year-old daughter was in the back seat at the time.
Witnesses testified that Gardner suggested various theories to police regarding her ex-husband's death, including a drug deal gone wrong or gang initiation. However, Detective Johns said he had never heard of such activities occurring on the street where Bridegan was shot.
The prosecution alleges that Gardner and Saldana had been planning to kill Bridegan for years. Saldana allegedly came close to carrying out the murder several times but failed. Gardner is accused of suggesting that Saldana "take care of" Bridegan whenever she was upset about custody issues.
Henry Tenon, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Bridegan's death, agreed to testify against Gardner and Saldana. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty, but the testimony and evidence presented at the bond hearing suggest a chilling plot to eliminate a former spouse.
The trial continues, with the jury expected to hear further testimony from witnesses and experts. The outcome of the case will determine the fate of those accused of orchestrating the murder of Jared Bridegan.
