Shanna Gardner, Jared Bridegan’s ex-wife, appeared in front of a judge in a Washington court on Friday.
Gardner is set to be sent back to Florida to face charges connected to Bridegan’s death but will have one more court date on Sept. 14 before that happens, the judge said.
Prosecutors say Gardner played a “key and central role” in the conspiracy to kill Bridegan and another man carried out the attack in Jacksonville Beach. The indictment states Gardner plotted to kill him as far back as May 2015 and Bridegan’s loved ones are not surprised.
“Jared was a very kind person. He did not have enemies,” Kirsten Bridegan, Jared’s widow, said. “He wasn’t involved in any shady things. In Shanna’s interview last year she mentioned ‘we ran a different circles,’ her and Jared. Yeah, you did. He was in good company.”
Kirsten has strong words for 36-year-old Shanna Gardner and Gardner’s husband 35-year-old Mario Fernandez. Both are now charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder.
Jared’s brother, Adam Bridegan, is grateful for this development.
“I would just say that I feel right now a sense of relief, a small bit of peace. The pain has transferred. The pain of not knowing and wondering if everyone would be put behind bars. That pain will now transition to, are we going to fully get justice? Is everything going to play out right? But we can’t control that,” he said.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson, flanked by a team of detectives from Jacksonville Beach and the ATF, announced Gardner’s arrest Thursday in Washington State where she moved with the two children she shared with Bridegan.
Body camera footage from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office shows the March 16 arrest of Fernandez -- he’s calm and conversational with deputies as they take him to jail.
“Sir, one more question. Can I get in contact with my brother about my dogs?” Deputy: “Where are your dogs?” Fernandez: “I have three dogs, they’re at a townhouse but I just need my brother to be able to take care of them.”
The first arrest came in February -- when police caught Henry Tenon – a man who rented a room from Fernandez. He has since pleaded guilty to second-degree murder – agreeing to cooperate against the co-defendants.
Careful not to compromise the case – Bridegan’s loved ones say they’re not backing down on their push for justice.
“Justice in the legal system for me looks like the harshest punishment available. You know they took a life of a father, of a loving husband. They took a father away from four children, a son away from parents, a brother away from siblings, an uncle. They took a lot and so for them, the least that I expect to happen is that their life is now spent behind bars where they can think about everything that they’ve done to our family, our friends and the children,” Kirsten Bridegan said.
News4JAX contacted Gardner’s attorney – Hank Coxe – he had no comment. Fernandez’s attorney – Jesse Dreicer – previously told us he’s waiting for the facts to come out in court.