On Thursday, the state attorney for Florida's Fourth Judicial District announced that Mario Fernandez, 35, was taken into custody by ATF agents in Orlando, Florida. This latest development follows the plea agreement of Henry Tenon, a handyman for Fernandez, who admitted to his role in Bridegan's slaying.
At a press conference, State Attorney Melissa Nelson revealed that Tenon had agreed to testify truthfully against those involved in the murder in exchange for a prison sentence of 15 years to life. Tenon had been charged two months earlier with second-degree murder, among other charges, for his role in the killing. This plea agreement confirmed that Tenon had, in fact, been the shooter.
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In addition to Tenon's plea agreement, Fernandez was indicted on first-degree murder, child abuse, and other charges. Nelson also confirmed that Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, 35, Bridegan's ex-wife and Fernandez's second wife, remains a suspect in the killing.
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On February 16, 2022, Bridegan, a 33-year-old software developer employed by Microsoft, was killed in a shooting incident in a well-to-do neighborhood of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. When he was out of his car to shift a tire from the street, he was suddenly attacked in the presence of his two-year-old daughter Bexley. The investigation uncovered that Tenon had conspired with at least one accomplice for six weeks to plot the crime.
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At the time of the shooting, Tenon was employed in some casual labor by Fernandez and occupied one of his rental houses in Jacksonville, which was eventually sold. Bridegan and Gardner-Fernandez had divorced in 2016 but had been engaged in a bitter custody battle over their 10-year-old twins and finances until Bridegan's death. It was also revealed that shortly before the divorce, Gardner-Fernandez had asked a tattoo parlor staffer if he knew anyone who could “shut him up.”
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Amid mounting public scrutiny, Gardner-Fernandez moved to the Pacific Northwest late last year, where her parents had purchased a $1 million home for her in West Richland, Washington. Fernandez, however, remained in Orlando, where he was seen in January squatting in front of his home and shaving his beard with an electric razor.
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Kirsten Bridegan, Jared's widow with whom he shared Bexley, 3, and London, 1, had made a plea directly to Tenon after his arrest. She had also told Fox News Digital that justice for Jared would not be stopped and that she would continue fighting until every person involved in his murder was held accountable.
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On Thursday, the arrest of Fernandez and Tenon's plea agreement marked a major milestone in this heartbreaking case. As the investigation remains active and ongoing, the family of Jared Bridegan is determined to continue seeking justice for the beloved father of four.
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