Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Shocking Texts Exposed in Microsoft Exec's Twisted Murder Case

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

It's been four years since Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan was shot to death as he moved a tire out of the road in Duval County, Florida. His ex-wife, Shanna Gardner and her estranged husband, Mario Saldana-Fernandez, would later be charged with conspiring to murder Bridegan and hiring a tenant, Henry Tenon, to carry out the crime. But now Tenon has withdrawn his guilty plea and new evidence is coming to light through discovery including a text message talking about needing a magician to make someone disappear. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the new developments in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch: https://www.forthepeople.com/CrimeFix Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mr. Tennon before short, I believe everyone's been led in from the waiting room. That's Henry Tennon. He had admitted to carrying out a hit murdering Microsoft executive Jared Bridigan. Prosecutors say it happened at the request of Bridegan's ex-wife and her new husband. But now, Tenon has withdrawn his guilty plea

as text messages that prosecutors claim discuss a years-long murder plot come to light. I go over the latest developments in the murder of Jared Brightigan. I'm Anjanette Levy, and this is Crime Fix. You know, part of the reason we can cover this case for you here on Law and Crime is because of sponsors like Morgan and Morgan. There's a reason why Crime Fix is one of the top true crime shows on YouTube, just like there's a reason why Morgan and Morgan is America's largest injury law firm. For more than 35 years, They've been fighting for people all over the country and have recovered more than $30 billion for clients.

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It's been just over four years since Jared Brightigan was shot to death in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and this August his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner and her estranged husband, Mario Fernandez Saldauna, will go on trial accused of conspiring to kill Jared. And when that trial, begins. There will be now a third co-defendant, Henry Tenon. Tenon was a former tenant of Fernandez who had admitted as part of a plea deal to shooting and killing Bridegan. He said he was hired to do it. Tenon had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Gardner and Solana, but now that's not going to happen. Before I get to the why of why that's not going to happen, let's do a quick recap of the case. Shanna Gardner met Jared Bridigan,

in 2009 while visiting a friend in Florida. The following year, they married. When they married, they were both devout Mormons, but things started to go south once their twins were born in 2013. And not long after, Gardner filed for divorce, and she asked for full custody of the twin girls. Fast forward a few years, and Jared Bridigan and Shana Gardner, they've divorced, and they're both remarried. Gardner to Fernandez, Saldana, and Jared to his wife, Kristen. Prosecutor's saying, Shana's motive to murder Jared has a few things at play. First, their divorce and custody arrangement for the twins was contentious. Bridegan wanted to raise the girls in the Mormon faith, and they believe Shana Gardner could have full access to a trust fund if Jared Brightigan was dead. Prosecutors say they uncovered

years-old text messages in which Gardner said she wished that Bridegan would just disappear, and she and her friends talked in code about wanting Jared dead. Now we're getting a look at those text messages that prosecutors plan to use as evidence at trial, we're seeing them for the very first time. This text exchanged between Shana and her friend Kim Jensen is from May of 2015. Shana wrote, I'm just not having a good day. Kim Jensen responded, don't write the day off as bad yet. I'm still trying to send stupid to prison. She added, if I can't make a casserole, prison is the next best option. There are more text messages, some from 2016, where prosecutors say the women spoke in code. On July 17, 2016, Kimmy wrote to a woman named Susan Lee, Shana Needs a guy. Susan Lee responded,

What kind of guy? Kimmy responded, the kind that performs permanent disappearing acts on certain people. Kimmy added, know any magicians? Susan Lee responded, Ah, magician. No, that I do not. For stupid, she asked. Kimmy responded, I was thinking Thomas, L-O-L. Susan Lee responded, he isn't a magician, but I'll ask if he knows any. Susan added, I'm sure her ex knows a few. We've heard about these text messages and read about them, but now we're seeing them in this drop of discovery, and these texts are from 2016. Prosecutors contend this shows that Shana Gardner had murder on her mind for you. years. On the same day, another set of messages between Shana and Kimmy were released.

Shana wrote, I'm at church. I'm fabulous with a straight face emoji, my favorite place on earth. Kimmy responded, deep breaths, it's going to be okay. I'll talk to you as soon as you get out. Just breathe. You'll work out all of this frustration at the gym later, and then part of the text is blacked out as a redaction citing an active criminal investigation. Kimmy then typed, he hates him. Kimmy added, if not, I know Sue's husband knows people, L-O-L. Shana responded, just when I think doing this whole one week off slash on thing is a good idea, it gives me such great pleasure imagining slitting his throat. The next text message is also blacked out. It's redacted, citing it's protected because it could include the substance of a confession

or information about an informant. Now, these text messages, are from 2016, a full five and a half years before Jared Brightigan was murdered. There are also text messages from August of 2022, months after Jared was murdered, where Shana tells Kimmy, I don't want anyone to know, and Kimmy responds, I'm not. Prosecutors will introduce these to show that Shana Gardner had a years long, deep-seated hatred for Jared and had possibly plotted to murder him for many, many years. But what will the defense do? Well, they may just say this is a frustrated ex-wife blowing off steam to friends and that prosecutors are simply reading too much into these texts. Also released this report showing the ATF conducted what they called a controlled

call with a cooperating witness on October 7, 2023. The report is marked restricted. The report states the person who is the subject of an active criminal investigation told Fernandez-Saldauna, The ATF had forced entry into the residence the previous day, damaging the front doors lock, which required repair. The person said he or she had multiple items taken from the house. During the conversation, the person told Fernandez-Saldauna they were looking for something, then asked Fernandez-Saldauna if he had anything at the house. Fernandez-Seldana replied he did not own anything in the residence. The call lasted four minutes, eight seconds.

The evidentiary value of this call isn't clear at this point, but it could become more clear at trial. At the time that Jared Bridigan was murdered in February of 2022, he had remarried to a woman named Kristen, and I mentioned that earlier, and he was happy, but Jared still shared those twins with Shana Gardner, and prosecutors say that was part of this year's long plot to carry out Jared's murder. prosecutors will say that Shana wanted full custody of the twins and full access to that trust fund I mentioned and that that was the motive. So the theory is that Shana Gardner and her estranged husband hired 62-year-old Henry Tenon to kill Jared Bridegan. Tenon was a tenant of Fernandez. Prosecutors have already revealed these checks written by Fernandez-Seldana to Tenon for thousands of dollars.

One is labeled a Kickstarter. It says good luck in the memo line. On February 16, 22, Jared Bridigan was murdered in Jacksonville Beach with his two-year-old daughter strapped in her car seat. A police summary says, Bridigan was driving home on a dark, isolated road named Sanctuary Boulevard with his two-year-old daughter. He stopped, put on his hazard lights, and stepped out to remove a large tire lying in the roadway. That is when he shot multiple times. At first, Bridegan's murder appeared to be random, but there was a lot of. were some things that showed it was anything but including that tire in the road. Security footage recorded a pickup truck in the area at the time of the murder, which led

Jacksonville Beach Police to Henry Tenon. Police would later discover Tenon was Fernandez-Salda. Prosecutors say Fernandez-Salda was going to pay Tenon $150,000 to carry out that hit. Eighteen months after the murder, a grand jury indicted both Gardner and Fernandez-Saldana. for their roles in this plot. 30, 26. They're making contact at the front door right now. On August 17, 2023, officers took Shana Gardner into custody in Washington State. It takes several minutes, but Gardner finally emerges from the home. It's going to be the white vehicle back there.

We'll go to the passenger side. Yep. I think they were saying going to the PD, we do have. interview rooms. But then the PD so we can take her over there. That's yeah, pull her out. Yeah, if you want to bring her there and then we'll follow behind you and we'll go. So just the just a heads up, I don't know if the jail is going to take anything not in the bottle. I'll leave you all of whatever you guys we can try but I think the jail probably sent out to that. 10.1 perfect thank you. Declined to speak with the officers at the police

Department. Now to Henry Tenon, the one-time confessed hitman, who was supposed to be the state star witness at trial. How old your dog? How old your dog? Oh, they ain't still puppy. Pretty little dog. Hello. Exactly a year earlier, police came across Tenon. They took him into an interview room, and he was there for a long, long time, more than five hours. But guess what we can't control? What's next? That's what we get to control, Henry. What's next? How am I remembered? How do I want to go out of this world?

A man of character, a man who did what's right, or just some chump? Because that's what we're being played for right now is chumps. We ain't no chumps, Henry. I know you ain't no chump. When I said respect, I meant it. I give you the same respect you give me. You've been respectful to me. I haven't raised my voice at you.

You haven't raised your voice to me. We disagreed. We know we're not on the same page, but we both know we can get there. We both know that. Much of Henry Tennant's police interview is redacted, likely because he makes admissions. Then he asks for a lawyer. There ain't nothing else I can do you. I don't think I need an attorney.

Tenon had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and he agreed to testify against Gardner and Fernandez-Seldana at trial. He would be their star witness, but now that is no longer happening. And good morning, Your Honor. Julie Schlax appearing on the path with Mr. Tennon. Your Honor, we did file on Friday a motion to withdraw his previously interplay, and the court was kinded up to pulse the pace on the calendar of the snowing for us. He'd turning away during the court had time to eat with that. Okay.

Henry Tennon has withdrawn his guilty plea. He's rolling the dice, and he's going to trial. On Friday, we did file this motion to a draw plea, pursuant to 3.170, subsection F. And specifically we're asking this court to use her discretion and allow Mr. Tenon to have a trial on the merits in his case. We have not alleged any wrongdoing. We are just simply asking the court to use our available discretion since Mr. Tenon has not been sentenced to set this case for trial, of her seat trial. What's a good cause?

We are not articulated to a good cause and honor as to our we are simply asking under 3.170 for the court to use her ability to grant a trial on the merits. Okay. And the state has no objection to the court granting that motion with the court with trial. The state is not filing a motion to, from the state's perspective, to have a defendant's plea agreement on done. And the state we have no objection to the court sentences, proceeds to sentencing right now or in the next few weeks from the defendant. So we leave up to the court's discretion. We have no objection to the granting.

The judge then questioned Henry Tennant about what exactly he wanted to do. So what do you want? Let me just put it simple. What do you want to do? Do you want to retain your plea or do you want to try? No, I'll draw. You got it. It's granted.

Thank you. Yes, sir. The motion would draw his plea is granted. Take care, Your Honor. You're welcome. So there you hear it. He wants a trial. So all three defendants are going on trial for the murder of Jared Bridigan. A jury will decide whether there is enough evidence to find all of them guilty of the conspiracy to murder Jared Bridigan or not. I should mention that all of them have pleaded not guilty. So the trial will start in August. And that is it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.