The State Attorney’s Office has withdrawn its intent to seek the death penalty against accused killers Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez Saldana, a major shift in one of Northeast Florida’s most closely watched murder cases.
The decision comes with the full support of the victim’s widow, Kirsten Bridegan, who said her family reached the conclusion after deep reflection and concern for the emotional toll a capital trial would take on Jared Bridegan’s four children.
Gardner and Fernandez Saldana, who were married at the time of the crime, are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child abuse in connection with the February 16, 2022 ambush shooting of Gardner’s ex-husband, 33-year-old Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan.
Prosecutors allege the couple orchestrated the attack amid a protracted and bitter divorce and custody battle, relying on their knowledge of Bridegan’s routines to plan the killing.
According to investigators, Bridegan was targeted shortly after dropping off his 9-year-old twin children at the couple’s Jacksonville Beach home.
While driving back to St. Augustine, he stopped to move a tire deliberately placed in the road. As he stepped out of his vehicle, he was shot multiple times. His 2-year-old daughter, strapped into a car seat, witnessed the attack but was not physically harmed.
Prosecutors say the shooter, Henry Tenon—Fernandez Saldana’s former tenant—has already pleaded guilty, admitting he carried out the killing in exchange for payment.
The trial for Gardner and Fernandez Saldana is set for August, with the next pretrial hearing scheduled for December 8.
In response to the state’s withdrawal of the death penalty, prosecutors pointed to a public statement from Kirsten Bridegan, shared on her Justice for Jared social media page.
She said her family “unanimously supports” the decision, explaining that while they believe in accountability, pursuing a death sentence would likely prolong the case for years through appeals, extending trauma for the children already devastated by their father’s murder.
Kirsten emphasized that the choice reflects compassion for the children—not for the defendants—condemning what she described as the killers’ lack of mercy.
Still, she said, the family remains confident justice will come “in this life and the next,” a belief she said continues to guide and strengthen them.
Here is Kirsten Bridegan’s full statement:
The State Attorney’s Office deferred comment to Kirsten Bridegan’s statment on her justiceforjaredb Instagram page:
Today the State of Florida officially withdrew the death penalty. This is a decision we unanimously support and stand behind. As a family it is something we have considered and weighed for quite some time.
From the beginning, our greatest responsibility has been to advocate for Jared and for all four of his children. They have already endured unimaginable pain. Prolonging their suffering through years of appeals or forcing them to relive this trauma during an extended, grueling trial would only deepen their wounds.
Our decision to support the withdrawal of the death penalty is rooted entirely in our love for Jared’s oldest two children. It is not an act of mercy for those who took Jared’s life; it is an act of mercy for the children who must live with the consequences.
The people who murdered Jared showed no mercy, no compassion, and no regard for the lifelong pain their actions would inflict on his children. We are choosing a different path ― one that honors Jared’s legacy and the man he was.
This choice does not diminish the gravity or the evil of what was done. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of justice for Jared and believe it will be seen in this life and the next. That belief brings us strength.
