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Jared Bridegan murder: Slain Microsoft exec's ex-wife Shanna Gardner slammed as she smirks in mugshot

Shanna Gardner-Fernandez was arrested for allegedly hiring a hitman to gun down her ex-husband, Jared Bridegan, in front of his daughter

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLORIDA: Shanna Gardner, who has been accused of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, Jared Bridegan, reportedly smirked in her latest mugshot, which was released by Florida police. 

After being taken to Benton County Jail, she was later extradited to Florida to face charges for which the state sought the death penalty.

The mother-of-two appeared in front of a Duval County judge on Saturday, October 21, and has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony, and child abuse, according to the statement released by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

She and her current husband, Mario Fernandez-Saldana, both 35, are accused of hiring a hitman to gun down Jared Bridegan, 33, who was murdered in front of his daughter in 2022 just minutes from her house in what police described as an "ambush" and "targeted" attack.

Events leading up to Jared Bridegan’s murder

At the time of the incident, Jared Bridegan was living in St Augustine, Florida, in a $780,000 home with his new wife and children. He would regularly drive up to Jacksonville to visit the twins he shared with Shanna Gardner.

He had just dropped the children off at his ex-wife's house on February 16, 2022, when he was lured from his car by a tire that had been carefully placed in his path, as per the police.

Bridegan was gunned down next to his Vauxhall Atlas, while his two-year-old daughter Bexley was in its back seat. Gardner's former tenant, Henry Tenon, 62, acted as the gunman in the purported killing.

Tenon had confessed to Bridegan's murder after being arrested for an unrelated crime.

Notably, the former spouses were locked in a bitter custody battle that had been raging since their separation and divorce in 2015. The custodianship was contested for their ten-year-old twins, Abby and Liam.

Gardner remarried in 2018 with Mario Fernandez-Saldana. Sources report that she became "wilder and wilder" as their relationship progressed.

Shanna Gardner soon to appear in court

Both Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez-Saldana have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are due to stand trial. 

Shanna waived her first court appearance and will be in court on November 3. 

After her arrest, her parents issued a statement saying, "Words cannot accurately express the depth of our sadness. Family is our top priority. We love our daughter and are focused on supporting her and our entire family as we help our grandchildren navigate this difficult and very confusing time."

They continued, "For their sake and all involved, we caution against further speculation and request privacy as the legal process runs its course." 

Gardner's second husband’s presence in his children's lives was also a worry to Bridegan, according to those who are close to the family. 

Bridegan was described as a "devout" Mormon who was working as a software developer for Microsoft. His widow Kristen has reportedly said she will support the death penalty if his ex-wife is convicted. 

In an emotional interview, Kirsten, 36, told Daily Mail about her "satisfaction" about Gardner's arrest.

"There is satisfaction in knowing that the person I believe was the driving force behind this doesn’t get the privileges that she allegedly took from Jared," said the widow, adding, "My personal thought is that I trust (the prosecutors) to make the best decision for the case and if that is the death penalty then we support that."

How did netizens react to Shanna Gardner’s smirking mugshot?

As soon as Shanna Gardner’s latest mugshot came to light, the Internet was quick to point out that she was smirking, and many slammed her for the heinous actions. 

One Facebook user commented, "She has always had her family money and support...it shows in this photo...." 

Another person wrote, "Ooohhh karma is coming," with one saying, "Arrogant smirk!" 

A user, who was not too pleased about her mugshot either, stated, "The sooner they get her locked up the better."

"Someone needs to wipe that smile off her face!" exclaimed one, pointing out her smile. 

An X (formerly Twitter) user said, "Crazy eyes," while another noted, "She had a dream life and blew it up like so many before her." 

"From rich girl to jail bird," expressed a person.