JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The widow of Jared Bridegan, the father of four who was gunned down in Jacksonville Beach in 2022, has filed a civil lawsuit against Bridegan’s ex-wife and her second husband, as well as the man who confessed to shooting Bridegan.

Kirsten Bridegan is seeking a judgement of “over $100,000,” court documents show. She is accusing Shanna Gardner, Mario Fernandez-Saldana (the second husband), and Henry Tenon (the shooter, who has pleaded guilty) of “battery resulting in wrongful death.” 

She is also suing Gardner and Fernandez for a second count, accusing them of committing fraudulent transfers to avoid paying up if they are found guilty in the suit.

The lawsuit provides a detailed narrative of how she believes the couple planned Jared Bridegan’s death and hired Tenon to carry out their plan, becoming responsible for his wrongful death. While there are claims consistent with testimony entered in court, Gardner and Fernandez have not been found guilty in Bridegan’s death at this time and are still waiting for trial. Tenon, however, pleaded guilty and confessed to being the gunman.

In the version of events as described by the lawsuit, after Gardner and Bridegan’s divorce in 2015, “Gardner harbored a deep hatred for Jared Bridegan,” and resented sharing their children and “having to protect her substantial finances” from him. The complaint describes an example: “Gardner’s parents paid the mortgage of a home in 2011… Gardner was required to purchase Jared Bridegan’s interest in the home. This financial benefit… furthered Gardner’s hatred towards her ex-husband.” 

According to the lawsuit, Gardner “confided in close friends that she wanted Jared Bridegan killed,” and “asked friends for assistance in finding someone” to kill him. In a May 2024 hearing where Duval County Judge London Kite found probable cause to charge Gardner with murder, multiple witnesses testified Gardner had asked them for assistance with a plan to kill Bridegan.

“These were not just tongue-in-cheek comments a person makes out of frustration, as Defendant argues; they were overt actions occurring over multiple years,” Kite said at the time. 

When Gardner met and married Fernandez, she “stated to others… (he) had the training and ability to plan and execute the murder,” the lawsuit says. It goes on to allege that Gardner married Fernandez “out of convenience.” 

The suit says it was Fernandez who “sought Tenon to commit the murder,” and “assisted Tenon with tracking Jared Bridegan and understanding his habits and the best route to committing an ambush.” 

According to the lawsuit, Jared Bridegan had a standing “date night” routine with the twin children he shares with Gardner for eight months before his death.

He was leaving a “date night” with the twins when he encountered a tire in the road, exited his car to move it when he was shot, as described throughout litigation in the case. 

“The only adults who knew where Jared Bridegan would be on the night of his murder were his wife Kirsten Bridegan, Gardner, (Fernandez) and Tenon,” the lawsuit says, because they knew of his routine.

It also alleges Fernandez transferred money to Tenon as payment for the murder, an accusation that has also been brought up by the State during their litigation of the case. The case is summed up: “Through the planning, participation and funding of both Gardner and Saldana, the murder of Jared Bridegan was accomplished.” 

The lawsuit then goes on to describe tactics Kirsten Bridegan believes Gardner and Fernandez used to transfer their money to other people and “unknown” accounts “in anticipation” that she would sue them, in order to claim they did not have enough money to pay damages. Her attorney says that under Florida statutes, she should be able to receive damages from the accounts or people the money was transferred to.

The lawsuit says Kirsten Bridegan is seeking the money to compensate for pain and suffering, loss of economic support, damages for his children and their loss of economic support and loss of a parent, medical expenses, burial and funeral expenses and more. 

The trial for Gardner and Fernandez is currently set for Oct. 25, 2025, after facing multiple delays. 

First Coast News reached out to attorneys for Bridegan, Gardner, Fernandez and Tenon Tuesday evening and has not heard back at this time.