Microsoft Exec Murder | Ex-Wife Arrested in Bridegan Murder

Welcome back to court TV live turning our attention now to Florida where we are expecting a major update in the murder investigation of Microsoft executive Jared bridegan it could be coming down at any moment, Mario Fernandez Saldana who is the head has been a bright against ex-wife is already charged with first-degree murder in the February 2022 shooting death of bright again. The exact was gunned down in a Jacksonville Beach neighborhood just moments after he dropped off his 2 children. He shared with his ex-wife prosecutors say he was ambushed after stopping to remove a tire in the road. The state Attorney's office has stated that they're going to be announcing a significant development in that case today and we're going to take you there live as soon as that press conference begins. While we wait though, here's a look back at the case from Court TV crime and justice correspondent Matt Johnson. ♪ >> Jared Brad again appeared to have it all a new job as a Microsoft executive living in sunny Florida with his wife Kirstin and 4 children. >> We have just had London to 6 months old. So things are good Kirstin had 2 children with Gerrit London in Baxley they also shared custody of his 9 year-old twins from a previous marriage on the week that we did not have. The oldest you kids are home Jared would take them out to dinner is referred to as date night in this agreement. >> The agreement kept Jared and Kirsten in Florida because bright again and his ex-wife Shanna Gardner Fernandez. We're in a bitter custody dispute, what was that relationship like he and his ex-wife. >> The relationship between us and his ex-wife. >> not cordial. >> With our communications were always in writing because there was not which will trust between the 2 households. >> One February 16th, 2022 Jared had one of his scheduled Eddie date night after dinner, he dropped off his twin daughter and son at his ex-wife's home in Jacksonville Beach Florida and headed home to Saint Augustine on the way he stopped to get his 2 and a half year old daughter Baxley ice cream. She was in the backseat of his SUV he then called Kirstin telling her he loved her and would be home soon. I did you learn something was wrong. >> As time started to come by and the time that they're usually home past. I can describe it like. I just knew something's not right. Her fears became reality after an officer answer Jarrett cell phone telling her Baxley was unharmed. >> But they needed her to come by the police station to hear about her husband. >> They later on that night told me that he had been shot where did this happen because usually gets the car and just drive, so I talked to him. >> Jared was not a victim of any robbery gone wrong or carjacking. Police say he was the victim of a targeted attack on a one-way road he traveled often Jared came across a tire police say was intentionally place right here in the middle of the road in the sanctuary neighborhood of Jacksonville Beach Florida. That's when someone came out of these Woods in ambush the father of 4 killing him on the spot for almost a year no answers then in January 2023 a break in the case. Henry 10 and. >> Was arrested for the following crimes. Conspiracy to commit murder second degree murder with a weapon. Accessory after the fact to a capital felony and child abuse. >> Now investigators say that tenant has pleaded guilty in the case and admitted to shooting bright again. >> Henry 10 pled guilty to murdering Jared bridegan entertainment has admitted that he in fact was the shooter. >> According to court records 10 and once lived in this house that was once owned by bride agains ex-wife's current husband are. >> Destination has revealed a single link between Jared bridegan 110. Mario Fernando sola. >> And now investigators have charged that husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana with first-degree murder. >> And a grand jury has returned ♪ >> an indictment charting Fernanda Saldana with first-degree murder. In addition to the first-degree murder charge the grand jury also indicted for me and assault on a conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to come net capital felony as well as child abuse. First degree murder. This is a capital felony punishable by death or mandatory life in prison. >> Jared ex-wife and her new husband, Mario Fernandez have denied any involvement in his murder. Gardner Fernandez has since relocated to Washington state with the Twins she shared with Jarrett. >> Joining me now to discuss this case Court TV crime and justice correspondent Matt Johnson also in Saint Paul Minnesota criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Jack rice and in Atlanta criminal defense attorney Josh shiffer so good to have you all on as we are waiting to see what this prosecution is going to say Matt let me start with you every time that we have heard a press conference being announced with the same time development in the case. It's been something major and it's been an arrest what do you think it may be today. >> Well I think that we're going to hear more details Henry tenant and what information he has been providing because again. Julia he has pled not guilty in this case and he said that he willfully and honestly testify against any spirit years and the way that they left the last prepped press conference in their announcement of the arrest of Saldana Fernandez. You know they said that there could be another arrest pending and soon so maybe we will see that today. >> Jack Rice if there's another arrest, what kind of information or evidence do you think they would have been able to uncover once the husband of the ex-wife was behind bars. >> Incredibly important when you can realize that personal specific information that shows that this was a hit because what you're really looking for is contemplate where is that this man was actually murdered and who would have known about who specifically would have known where he was going when he was going and the ability to reach this really supports a very sick slow methodical approach from us the police as the arrest and then they say who are your connections. How are those people connected to the potential murder victim and then you work your way out like throwing are small a rock into a pond. And watch that just roll out words and that's exactly what they did in this case. >> In the rolling out words of this case Joshua for what other charges would you anticipate could be coming down the pipe. >> And we already have first-degree murder second-degree murder. >> Is what the alleged hit man is going to plead guilty to but talk to me about what other crimes or charges could be coming down. >> Well like Matt and Jack are talking about as. >> This case expands, we may be adding additional people as well as additional evidence that's been developed that additional evidence can support new charges. >> It everything from using you know the tools of Interstate commerce like in a conspiracy there's literally dozens of potential charges that the state's going to be able to decide on using there inherent discretion can through the electoral process important process this has been that slow develop in case specifically because they didn't I have great answers on the outset of who might be in. >> Well only by leading on the people that they do know >> Using the powers of subpoenas search warrants things like that to develop additional evidence that's how they got to this part of discovering the story. >> Jahi to cut you off Melissa Nelson, the state attorney they're in Jacksonville Florida is about to speak let's going live. >> Thank you for joining us will be my last public. We're 1620 22 Jacksonville Beach, I'm joined today at all partners to Jean Paul Smith, the directional Beach Police Department and the staff special agent Bob Rice in Beijing. No tax will be Tehran. Hairston Pierson's parents, your brother for others and just in now. Thank you for being here today. We promised we also have this investigation we will not relent. So we haven't heard the tree care, it's for the whole entire trip. This morning before it started a grand jury that she and her for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Tensions in that first degree murder and show them it's all related to the murder Garner was arrested shortly after and taken into custody by ATF Washington field agents West Washington. Garner will be extradited kind to press charges. We will be fine and it is our intent to see that she has also I cannot stress enough the extraordinary commitment and the stage for me today Jacksonville Beach detectives ATF agents. like to personally commend some folks. She's met. Jacksonville Beach detectives. Chris Jones Jason law ATF special agent Bryce and his team of special agents and intelligence analysts say check travel office, including was your daughter Alyssa Simmons in next several. And our prosecution team was trying to support including live in Burr, also director Robbie chief assistant Lehigh and persistence even single seal. You can see her. This investigation has uncovered a tree care tumor. But I did not act I'm Shannon gardeners and central Kiev well the cold calculated and premeditated Dollar charity details and information and during the discovery process. Thank you all for being here today riding the public does >> There you have it from the state attorney there in the 4th district 4th circuit rather of Florida. Melissa Nelson saying that these other 2 people did not act alone. The wife is now charged ex-wife of this victim father of for Jared bridegan let's bring back in everyone is standing by crime and justice correspondent Matt Johnson Joshua for and Jack Rice. >> So important we know that this was likely coming at your reaction to this being. >> What the the state attorney is now saying and she says this is her last public update. >> This is the moment, the window that was standing there next to the the da has been waiting for she's been waiting for this additional charge to come down. And she had suspected all along and telling me that there was just such a divisive relationship with the ax and their divorce in their agreement with the children. She had suspected something wasn't right from the get-go. And Again you heard right there. This breaking news the ex-wife has been charged and is the same charges that Mario Saldana faces her estranged husband who she was moved from like she was living in Florida with them and then she ended up moving to Washington where she was taken into custody, so it's first degree murder conspiracy solicitation to commit felony. Capital murder and child abuse because again. The toddler was in the back seat of this car and witnessed it all happened Julia, I'm not a surprise here but a resolution and now it's the next steps and it was a really poignant that she said that this is her last update >> no more updates until we're in court on this one no updates from the state Attorney's office curious to see what the family may say at this point but Josh Schiff for your reaction to this being the final charge us what the prosecution is saying that they are going to make any public update so likely. No more arrests in this case. >> Confidence in the state's attorney and starting off the press conference with that this is going to be my final announced. She's done her job for officers do their job and just like Matt said brought a tremendous relief. >> To this family. The this we kids eventually will grow up to know that the system did effectively pursue. >> The people behind their fathers and husbands murder, I'm not. >> On its affected. Definitely a defense civil case due to the 1010 he was just of the connections but I'm willing to bet the state has some good evidence it's going to share as the case progresses. >> Jack this is 3 defendants one of them is already pleading out in this case and we hear conspiracy would you try them together do you think their defense attorneys will try to separate this husband and wife. >> Well I can tell you I've been into space before and any time you do have a defendant, especially those who were not charged in those were cooperating. It's a petrifying experience to walk into because sometimes you don't know what it is that the state knows. Yes. It's a discovery piece, but it's still very hard and there's that wild card of that person who could come in and testify asked what was going on on the inside. But at least now what we're really saying and this is really with the prosecutor did so well and I think really sort of solidifies that. As they have motive to have this connection between the ex-wife and sold And those 2 if you watch that you watch the drive that runs from one piece to the next to the next. And what you want for a jury always when you're prosecuting or defending it case is you want to be able to explain the facts but you also want to explain why why isn't that something like this could happen why is that somebody would actually be willing to go to the extent of actually murder writing another human being and now what you have is that direct connection between the ex-wife and so Donna and that's right oblique important when it talks about something like the conviction in a case like this especially on a second-degree murder charge. >> Matt you've been reporting on this you've been out there to Jacksonville at the crime scene but I want to ask you about this X y I don't think you've been all the way out to Washington to see where she was but tell me about what happened after this murder of Jared bridegan they share 2 children together did she get full custody that distancing when did that happen and is there going to be a similar extradition as there was for her husband. >> Right you know when you look at this case in the way that it played out to Aaliyah you had her as a person of interest or someone that may have had knowledge from the get-go who was not cooperating with authorities because again she was the last person to have seen this victim her ex has been alive and then he's leaving her house after dropping off their 2 children and then you know in a one-way road where he traveled each and every time he had Debbie date night he had to move this tire out of the road couldn't pass it they knew that he was going to be there. That's why we have this conspiracy charge and we have these allegations from this district attorney but she is really very much over the last couple weeks and months tried to distance herself the 2 Gentlemen that have been charged in all of this including her current estranged husband because again she moved to Washington state. She lives in a house paid for by her parents who are multimillionaires in the Pacific Northwest and cut all ties with him and now that brings us to today where she is actually charged in all of this and she will be extradited back

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Id: xwJvSccB-yY

Length: 16min 59sec (1019 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 17 2023