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Lawyers representing Mario Fernandez-Saldana have requested to submit questions to Henry Tenon, a confessed hitman, pointing out discrepancies in his earlier testimonies.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During a court session on Thursday concerning the high-profile murder-for-hire case of Jared Bridegan, the judge denied one motion from a suspect and postponed a decision on another.
The session aimed to clarify the future proceedings of the case. Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez-Saldana, who is one of three individuals accused in Bridegan’s murder, insisted that the prosecution should clarify the start and end dates of the alleged conspiracy and identify any other parties involved.
Jared Bridegan, a father of four from St. Johns County, was killed on February 16, 2022, in what investigators describe as a “murder-for-hire scheme” allegedly orchestrated by his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and her second husband, Fernandez-Saldana. Both Gardner and Fernandez-Saldana have declared their innocence concerning the charges.
On Thursday, Fernandez-Saldana’s legal team argued that the timelines provided, especially relating to Gardner, are excessively broad, complicating trial preparation. Prosecutors countered that conspiracy cases don’t revolve around a single event and noted that the discovery process is still underway. Judge London Kite refrained from ruling on the motion, stating she requires more time to examine the legal aspects.
Fernandez-Saldana’s defense team also raised concerns about the credibility of the confessed hitman who carried out the murder, Henry Tenon, pointing to inconsistencies in his previous statements. They asked the court for permission to submit written questions to him to lock in his story before completing his deposition.
The judge expressed ethical concerns with the approach and suggested a longer, multi-day deposition instead. According to court records, this motion to issue Tenon “interrogatories” has been denied.
Both Gardner and Fernandez-Saldana are due back in court on Feb. 6 at 9 a.m., court records show. Jury selection for the trial is set to begin on Aug. 10, 2026, with a selection of 250 prospective jurors per defendant. The trial is scheduled to last from Aug. 17 through Aug. 28.
