Mario Fernandez, one of the individuals charged in the 2022 murder of St. Johns County father of four Jared Bridegan, is scheduled to appear before a judge on Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing.

Bridegan was fatally shot in February 2022 while driving home with his toddler daughter in the vehicle. Fernandez and his now estranged wife, Shanna Gardner (Bridegan’s ex-wife), face indictments for first-degree murder and related charges in the ambush.

Court Proceedings and Appearances

Co-defendant Shanna Gardner has formally waived her appearance for the upcoming hearing. This leaves Fernandez, who has been detained in the Duval County Jail since his arrest in March 2023, as the sole defendant expected in court.

Both Fernandez and Gardner have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges against them. Prosecutors had initially indicated they would seek the death penalty, but this stance has since been withdrawn.

Bond Hearing Rejection Amid New Developments

Fernandez's legal team has repeatedly sought his release on bond, arguing that circumstances have shifted significantly in the case. The primary change cited is the recent withdrawal of the guilty plea by the accused gunman, Henry Tenon.

Tenon, who prosecutors allege was paid by Fernandez to carry out the killing, has stated he will no longer testify against either Fernandez or Gardner. Despite this development, Judge London Kite once again rejected Fernandez’s request for bond.

Fernandez’s attorneys emphasized that his arrest relied heavily on Tenon’s initial statements, which are now in question. They also highlighted that Fernandez never attempted to flee the investigation and offered to surrender his passport if released.

Evidence Access and Defense Strategy

In preparation for trial, the court granted Gardner’s attorneys access to inmate communications, including phone calls, mail, and tablet data. Fernandez’s legal team has submitted a similar request, which is still pending review by the court.

Prosecutors maintain that substantial evidence still connects Fernandez to the murder-for-hire conspiracy. The State Attorney’s office released evidence that included interviews with a friend of Shanna Gardner, who expressed doubt that Fernandez would be involved in a “hitman” scenario a year after the murder.

The Role of Henry Tenon

According to initial court records, Tenon began involvement in the conspiracy on January 4, 2022, just over a month before the shooting. Investigators linked Tenon to Bridegan solely through Fernandez.

Tenon, who was renting a home from Fernandez, was questioned about the murder and a specific Ford F-150 truck after his unrelated felony driving arrest in August 2022. He later confessed and implicated the others before changing his plea.

Background of the Ambush

Jared Bridegan was killed on February 16, 2022, after dropping off his older children and driving back toward St. Augustine with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, in her car seat.

When Bridegan exited his SUV, he was ambushed. Reports indicate that at least one bullet narrowly missed Bexley while she was secured in her car seat. Bridegan was found lying next to his vehicle with the door open.