The Case Against Shanna Gardner: allegations, defense and the expected May trial
Prosecutors allege Gardner participated in a plot to kill her former husband, Jared Bridegan. She has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection is reported for May 3, 2027, with testimony expected the following week.
- Development
- 12 November 2026
- Coverage
- The Case Against
- Current status
- Prosecution pending
- Source record
- 5 verified sources
Trial timing
Expected start: 3 May 2027Jury selection is reported for May 3, 2027; testimony is expected from May 10. November 12 reporting still described the May timetable as tentative.Schedule source ↗ · Checked 13 Nov 2026The prosecution and expected timetable
Shanna Gardner is awaiting trial in Duval County, Florida, accused of participating in the murder of her former husband, Jared Bridegan. She has pleaded not guilty.
Action News Jax reported that jury selection was set for May 3, 2027, with the trial scheduled for May 10–28 and a final pretrial hearing on April 26. Its November 12 coverage continued to describe Gardner and alleged gunman Henry Tenon as tentatively scheduled for trial together in May. The dates in this preview are therefore labelled expected, rather than a guarantee that proceedings will begin on those days. [2] [3] [5]
The charges have changed since the indictment
The Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office announced Gardner’s indictment and arrest on August 17, 2023. Its original announcement listed murder, conspiracy, solicitation and child-abuse charges arising from Bridegan’s death.
The case has since narrowed. In its September 18 report, Action News Jax said solicitation and child-abuse counts had been dropped and that Gardner continued to face murder and conspiracy allegations. The station also reported that the prosecution intended to consolidate Gardner and Tenon’s cases. Both remain accused defendants awaiting adjudication in that proceeding. [1] [3]
What prosecutors allege happened
Bridegan was shot on February 16, 2022, after dropping off the children he shared with Gardner. According to the State Attorney’s announcement, he encountered a tire on Sanctuary Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach and was shot after stopping to remove it. His young daughter remained in the vehicle.
Prosecutors have alleged that Tenon carried out the shooting as part of a plot involving Gardner and Mario Fernandez Saldana. The 2023 announcement identified Fernandez Saldana as Gardner’s husband and Tenon as his tenant. It attributed an organizing role to Gardner. Those were prosecution allegations against her, not findings returned by a jury in her case. [1]
Gardner’s defense position
Gardner’s lawyers sought more preparation time after separate criminal allegations were filed against Fernandez Saldana in August. Court TV reported that the defense argued those allegations suggested a possible motive for him that was independent of Gardner.
The defense also cited litigation over access to a forensic copy of Bridegan’s widow’s phone. Judge London Kite granted the continuance. Gardner’s request for additional investigation was a defense position; the court’s scheduling decision did not resolve the competing accounts of who was involved in the killing. [2]
Tenon’s earlier statement is disputed evidence
Tenon initially entered a cooperation plea but later withdrew it. Court TV reported in May that his lawyer argued statements connected to the proposed plea should be excluded from his trial.
Kite distinguished between statements made during the preliminary negotiation process and a later sworn statement given at the State Attorney’s Office. The preliminary statements were suppressed, while the court allowed the sworn statement to be used against Tenon. Those rulings concern the admissibility of his account in his prosecution. They do not amount to a verdict against Gardner. [4]
The separate case against Fernandez Saldana
Fernandez Saldana was convicted by a separate jury in August 2026. That verdict preceded Gardner’s rescheduled trial and the later reporting about consolidation with Tenon.
November 12 reporting still described Gardner and Tenon’s forthcoming proceedings as tentative. Their trial dates and outstanding pretrial issues must be checked against later court orders. Gardner’s not-guilty plea remains the position recorded in the reporting used for this profile. [2] [3] [5]
Sources & further reading
- Gardner indicted and arrested for murder of ex-husband Jared Bridegan ↗State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida · 2023-08-17 · Primary source
- Microsoft executive’s ex says new charges against her husband support her defense ↗Court TV · 2026-08-28
- Two charges against Shanna Gardner dropped ahead of May trial ↗Action News Jax · 2026-09-18
- Prosecutors can use accused hit man’s previous statement in upcoming trial ↗Court TV · 2026-05-26
- Mario Fernandez Saldana appears in court on motion for a new trial ↗Action News Jax · 2026-11-12
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