Man convicted in Microsoft exec's murder in plot allegedly involving ex-wife
Prosecutors believe Jared Bridegan was killed because of ongoing strife with his former wife over the parenting of their twins.
Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager, was convicted on Wednesday for his alleged involvement in the murder-for-hire of a man named Mario Fernandez Saldana. The incident occurred in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in February 2022, when Bridegan stopped his SUV to remove a tire from the road. Prosecutors allege that the murder was part of a plot fueled by a contentious child custody arrangement between Bridegan and his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner.
The murder took place after Bridegan returned to his ex-wife's home with their two children following a date night meal. He was unarmed and unaware of the ambush that was set by Gardner and Saldana. Prosecutors believe that the attack was a targeted ambush, driven by ongoing strife between Bridegan and his ex-wife over religion and raising their twins.
Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38, was convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder after nearly four hours of jury deliberation. He is married to Bridegan's former wife, Shanna Gardner. Prosecutors argue that the motive for the murder was the contentious relationship between Bridegan and his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and the ongoing disputes over their children's upbringing.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
