Shanna Gardner Fernandez used to be married to Jared Bridegan. He used to work for Microsoft and was killed in February 2022. Shanna, her husband Mario Fernandez Saldana, and Henry Tenon are all accused of murdering Jared. Shanna is currently in jail in Washington. She will be sent to Florida and could be sentenced to death if she is found guilty.
A shocking crime
The murder of Jared Bridegan shocked the nation, as he was a prominent figure in the tech industry and a devoted father of four children. He was driving home with his 11-year-old daughter. He had just dropped off his nine-year-old twins with his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner Fernandez. Suddenly, two gunmen on a motorcycle ambushed him. He was shot multiple times and shortly died at the scene, while his daughter survived with minor injuries.
The police investigation found that Shanna Gardner Fernandez and her husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana, hired the gunmen. They paid the gunmen $50,000 to kill Jared Bridegan. The motive for the crime was a custody dispute over the twins. The twins were born through a surrogate mother in India. Shanna Gardner Fernandez said that Jared Bridegan had no legal rights to the twins because he wasn’t their biological father. However, Jared Bridegan had a court order giving him joint custody of the twins. He also had joint custody of his older daughter from a previous marriage.
Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana allegedly abused the twins. They locked them in a closet, denied them food and water, and made them watch videos of their father’s murder. The abuse was both physical and emotional.
A fugitive on the run
Jared Bridegan was murdered. Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana ran away to West Richland, Washington. They were living there with the twins using fake identities. They were caught in April 2022. The police got a tip from a neighbor who saw them on the news. The twins were taken away to keep them safe. They were able to see their sister and grandparents again.
Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana are trying to avoid being sent to Florida. A grand jury there has accused them of serious crimes: first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to save a significant crime, and child abuse. The prosecutors in Florida want to execute both of them because they think the crimes were very terrible and cruel.
Shanna Gardner Fernandez is currently in the custody of the Benton County Corrections Department in Washington, where she has been denied bail. She has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and maintains her innocence. She has also filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, claiming that a lawyer did not properly represent her during the grand jury proceedings.
A legal battle ahead
Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana’s case will be long and complex. It involves different places, legal problems, and proof. The defense team will question if the extradition, indictment, evidence, and death penalty are valid. The prosecution team needs to prove without a doubt that Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana planned and committed Jared Bridegan’s murder with intention and cruelty.
The trial date has not been set yet, as the extradition process is still pending. The case has gotten a lot of media attention because it involves a famous victim, a rich and powerful family, and a shocking and sad story. People want to know the truth about what happened to Jared Bridegan and what will happen to Shanna Gardner Fernandez and Mario Fernandez Saldana.
