Microsoft Manager Jared Bridegan's Murder Plotter Paid Alleged Gunman $10K After Tyre-Trap Killing

The man convicted of arranging Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan's murder paid the alleged gunman at least $10,000 (approximately £7,600) after the roadside killing, prosecutors said, as a Florida judge sentenced him to life in prison.

Mario Fernandez Saldana received the sentence on Thursday, 12 November, following his August conviction for first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony. Judge London Kite also imposed a 30-year sentence for solicitation, to run concurrently with the life term.

Bridegan's two-year-old daughter, Bexley, was inside his vehicle when he was killed in Jacksonville Beach on 16 February 2022. She survived without physical injury after gunfire struck the car.

Three Cheques Became Central Evidence

At trial, prosecutors highlighted three cheques Fernandez Saldana wrote to Henry Tenon after Bridegan's death. The payments totalled $10,000 (approximately £7,600).

Two cheques were dated 28 March 2022, with a third dated 4 April. All were signed by Fernandez Saldana and issued through First Choice Home Rentals LLC.

The payments were described as covering landscaping, roof work and a Kickstarter project that prosecutors said did not exist. The prosecution argued that those descriptions concealed payment for the killing.

Fernandez Saldana's defence disputed that interpretation, arguing that Tenon had performed legitimate work on his property. The payment evidence therefore formed part of a contested case, rather than an admission by Fernandez Saldana.

Jurors subsequently found him guilty of both remaining charges on 26 August. Before imposing sentence on Thursday, Kite rejected his request for a new trial.

A Tyre in the Road Forced Bridegan To Stop

Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager, had spent the evening with his children. He dropped off the twins he shared with his former wife, Shanna Gardner, before continuing home with Bexley, his daughter with his wife Kirsten.

A tyre had been placed on Sanctuary Boulevard to make him stop. When Bridegan stepped out to move it, a gunman emerged and fired four shots, prosecutors said. Two bullets struck Bridegan. Two others entered the vehicle where his toddler remained in the back seat. The attack turned an ordinary journey following a family dinner into the scene of his killing.

Investigators linked Tenon to the ambush through evidence including DNA on the tyre and a blue pickup truck used in the crime. Prosecutors also identified extensive communications between Tenon and Fernandez Saldana, who had previously been his landlord.

Widow Addresses Husband's Convicted Killer

Bridegan's relatives spoke before sentencing, describing how his death continued to affect family milestones and everyday life.

Kirsten Bridegan told the court she believed Fernandez Saldana had shown no remorse. Her statement focused on the lasting harm to their family and her view that he had arranged for someone else to carry out the violence.

The sentencing followed more than four years of investigation and court proceedings since the ambush. It resolved Fernandez Saldana's punishment in the murder case, while proceedings involving the other defendants remained outstanding.

Other Defendants Still Await Trial

Gardner, Fernandez Saldana's estranged wife, and Tenon face separate proceedings over Bridegan's death. The State Attorney's Office confirmed that their trials would take place later.

Tenon previously agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder but later withdrew that plea. His alleged role as the shooter remains subject to trial. Fernandez Saldana's conviction does not itself establish the guilt of either remaining defendant.