Florida Trial Begins for Man Accused of Hiring Hit on Microsoft Exec

A Florida trial began Monday for a man accused of orchestrating the murder-for-hire of Microsoft design manager Jared Bridegan in a targeted ambush allegedly rooted in bitter post-divorce custody battles. Mario Fernandez Saldana, 38, faces first-degree murder and solicitation of murder charges in Duval County court for the 2022 shooting death of Bridegan, 33, in Jacksonville Beach.

Prosecutors told jurors that Fernandez Saldana and Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, 39, conspired to hire gunman Henry Tenon to kill the victim. The plot allegedly involved placing a tire in the middle of a dark road to lure Bridegan from his vehicle. According to testimony, Bridegan had just dropped off the 9-year-old twins he shared with Gardner after a regular "date night" and was driving home to St. Augustine with his 2-year-old daughter when he stopped to remove the obstacle. He was then shot twice.

Assistant State Attorney Christina Simak Stifler described the crime as a "planned, targeted ambush" and the work of "architects" who intended a "perfect crime." She emphasized the murder was personal, stemming from years of acrimony between Bridegan and Gardner over religion and the upbringing of...