Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan’s ex-wife will try to fight extradition to Florida after being charged in Washington state on Thursday.
Fernandez was arrested and charged with first degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation and child molestation in connection with Bridegan’s death.
Lawyers for Shanna Gardner Fernandez, 34, said they would not waive extradition on her first court appearance, meaning they would try to prevent her from being taken back to Florida.
Washington was one of 23 states to abolish the death penalty earlier this year, while Florida still has the death penalty.
When Florida Attorney Melissa Nelson announced Gardner Fernandez’s arrest at a news conference Thursday, she made it clear she will seek the death penalty.
Lawyers for Shanna Gardner Fernandez, 34, said they would not waive extradition on her first court appearance, meaning they would try to prevent her from being taken back to Florida
Under the law, Fernandez is now a fugitive from justice and is currently being held without bail.
Fernandez’s next court date, specifically about her possible extradition, is scheduled for September 14, according to Fox News.
Gardner Fernandez’s arrest comes 547 days after the father of four was executed just minutes from his ex-wife’s home. And his widow and family counted every single one.
He was shot multiple times at close range in what police described as an “ambush” and “aimed” attack. Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said at the time that Bridegan was “shot in cold blood” as he got out of his car.
Bridegan’s widow Kirsten Bridegan, 32, spoke exclusively to after Fernandez was arrested and charged with first degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation and child molestation.
Today, Kirsten said, “For the last 548 days we have been waiting for arrests.” We wanted the people who the evidence showed to be involved to be arrested and put behind bars so we didn’t have to worry that they were walking free and possibly not be brought to justice.
“Now that three of these individuals are behind bars, the next chapter is to hope and pray that the justice system works, that convictions, not just arrests, will occur, and that true justice will be done, where possible, for what has been done.” was preserved.’ ‘
Gardner Fernandez’s husband Mario Fernandez-Saldana, 35, was arrested in March. He was charged with the same four counts as his wife and pleaded not guilty. He too faces the death penalty.
Jared Bridegan, 33, was killed in February 2022
Fernandez (pictured right) was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation and child molestation in connection with Bridegan’s death. Husband Mario (pictured left) was arrested in March. He was charged with the same four counts as his wife and pleaded not guilty
Jared and his second wife, Kirsten, met through a dating app when she was living in North Carolina and he was in Florida. They married in 2017 and are shown on their wedding day with the children from his first marriage
His arrest follows the arrest of his former tenant Henry Tenon, 62, who has since pleaded guilty to his role as a perpetrator in the alleged attack in which the young father of four was lured into the street and then shot at point-blank range Two-year-old daughter Bexley was strapped into her child seat in the back of the car.
At the time of his murder on February 16, 2022, Bridegan was locked in a deeply acrimonious custody battle with his ex-wife – the battle raging almost unabated since their divorce in 2015 and centered around twins Liam and Abby, now ten.
Bridegan had repeatedly expressed his unease with Fernandez’s presence in the twins’ lives and his behavior towards and around them.
An important part of the custody agreement, and one part that Bridegan would not negotiate despite his ex-wife’s repeated attempts to change her, was that the children should not be home alone with Fernandez overnight when Gardner Fernandez was not there could be at a time when the twins were in her care.
Should that happen, Bridegan insisted that the option of having the twins with him and Kirsten instead would be given priority.
As part of the custody agreement, the twins spent a week with their mother and new husband and another week with their father, his wife and their half-siblings Bexley, now four, and London, now two.
“It’s been a very long 18 months where I just felt every emotion and asked myself, ‘Is there anything else I can do to help?’ Is there anything I haven’t done yet? said Adam Bridegan
Shanna’s new husband, Mario Saldana-Fernandez, was charged earlier this year and is awaiting trial. In his case, too, prosecutors are asking for the death penalty
Shanna married Mario Fernandez three years after her divorce from Jared Bridegan. They are pictured with their twins Liam and Abby
On the Wednesday of each week, the non-custodial parent had a “date night” with the twins.
Police believe Bridegan was lured out of his car by a tire left in the middle of a poorly lit, secluded stretch of road in a quiet Jacksonville Beach neighborhood shortly after taking his children back to their mother’s on one such date night became known as the sanctuary.
Henry Tenon has admitted he was lying in wait and ready to execute Bridegan when he got out to remove the obstacle from the road.
In his speech on Thursday afternoon, prosecutor Nelson made it clear: “Henry Tenon did not act alone.” Mario Fernandez did not plan alone. Shanna played a pivotal and key role in the cold, calculated assassination of Jared Bridegan.
In the wake of the tragedy, Bridegan’s widow previously told how her children and half-siblings were “torn apart” and the twins were taken across the country by their original mother from Utah and were living in West Richland, Washington at the time of their arrest .
On Friday, Kirsten took the opportunity to plead with Gardner Fernandez’s family to allow the children to reconnect and communicate with each other – requests she kept making to their mother that fell on deaf ears.
Contract killer Henry Tenon confessed to the conspiracy earlier this year and faces 15 years in prison
She said: “The last communication I had with Shanna was in April 2022 when she informed me that the girls could no longer speak to Liam and Abby and I fought back and said, ‘At least allow us everything to say happy birthday?’ “On her birthday?” She agreed.
“After that, I received no further communication. I was blocked, I emailed her and haven’t had a response from her since.’
Attempts to contact her parents, Sherri and Sterling Gardner, also went unanswered.
And while the Gardners kept Kirsten and her girls completely out of their lives, they embarked on numerous exotic vacations, including a trip to Hawaii and a spring break at Club Med in Sandpiper Bay, Florida, of which they released seemingly light-hearted pictures just a month after Bridegan’s death .
Kirsten admitted, “Her actions were so bizarre and it just broke me that Liam and Abby were exposed to it.” This is not a normal way to grieve and help children – it’s okay to pretend like everyone is fine.
“Everyone grieves in their own way, but I wouldn’t go about it that way.” Lots of emotion [through all this] was only grief for her, mostly because we can’t be there to comfort her.
“I would like to publicly reiterate that we would like to speak to Liam and Abby and at least let the siblings talk to each other and I would like to appeal to the Gardners who are now caring for them to make that possible and bring the children into the world. “ a priority.
“We’re still fighting for them.” We will always fight for them. But I wish it didn’t have to be a fight. I wish it could be a collaboration.’
As they sat side by side, it was clear that Kirsten and Adam, the older of Bridegan’s two brothers, were exhausted from the toll of their grief and their pursuit of justice.
Adam said, “It’s been a very long 18 months where I just felt every emotion and I was like, ‘Is there anything else I can do to help?’ Is there anything I haven’t done yet? Any actions I haven’t taken?
“There’s a sense of urgency to do whatever you can to help, and you have to learn to be patient and wait and know there’s a system in place.”
With extraordinary vigour, they tried to draw something positive out of their tragedy, some light out of the darkness.
Jared was lured out of his car on a quiet stretch of road by a tire that had been left in the middle of the road
Kirsten Bridegan seeks justice for her murdered husband, Jared. “The next chapter is to hope and pray that the justice system works, that we get convictions,” she told
Kirsten started the Bexley’s Boxes initiative, which sends boxes of toys and comfort essentials to law enforcement agencies across the country so they have what they need to care for traumatized children involved in a tragedy
They have started a charitable foundation on Bridegan’s behalf and Kirsten started the Bexley’s Boxes initiative, which sends boxes of toys and comfort essentials to law enforcement agencies across the country so they have the essentials to help traumatized children who are caught up in tragedy and hospitalized in the direst of circumstances, just like Bexley 18 months ago.
Today Kirsten says, “Bexley is resilient.” She doesn’t talk much about that night anymore, I know she remembers it, but now she only talks about how she had fun at school, how she went to games and how she was having fun in the park.
“It was such a blessing to see that she was able to move forward.” She keeps asking about Liam and Abby and when we can talk to or hear from them, but overall she’s doing the best that could be asked for can.”
The family struggles to keep Bridegan alive for London, who was an infant when he died.
Kirsten said, “We have photos of Jared, Liam and Abby all over our house.” She knows their names and who they are and as she gets older we will share more pictures and memories with her to celebrate true love and the to convey the character of all three and hopefully she manages to relate to Liam and Abby.’
For now, they say, the family will “try to heal.” Adam said, “There will be a healing process when we know the truth will come out and we will have answers. Knowing that there is no danger out there that has not yet been discovered will give us a sense of peace for the future.” and knowing that they will be successful in their prosecution.
“We have something to look forward to and hope that there will be much healing.” We will always try to look on the bright side with the foundation and the ways we can bless the lives of others, but it has been a very long road .”
For more information about the work of the Bridegan Foundation, visit www.brideganfoundation.org