Mario Fernandez charged with child sex crimes after murder conviction in Jacksonville
Mario Fernandez, convicted of murdering Jared Bridegan, now faces two felony counts of lewd & lascivious molestation of young girls in Jacksonville, Florida.
Fernandez hit with child sex crime charges days after Bridegan murder verdict
Google News MT — Crime (en) reports that Mario Fernandez, already convicted this week of first-degree murder in the 2022 killing of Jared Bridegan, is now facing two additional felony charges of lewd and lascivious molestation filed in Jacksonville, Florida.
One charge involves a victim younger than 12. According to an arrest affidavit, a female victim told investigators that Fernandez began molesting her in April 2020, when she was approximately eight years old, and that the abuse "went on for many years." She described the incidents as occurring in the bedroom of her Jacksonville home.
The second affidavit involves a separate child victim whose age has been redacted. She described a specific incident on 11 March 2022, when she was staying at the home of Fernandez and his wife, Shanna Gardner. She told investigators that, due to circumstances, she found herself alone in the house with Fernandez, who entered her room, "spooned" her and ground against her until she removed herself and locked the bathroom door.
News4JAX does not identify child victims or victims of sex crimes.
Arraignment set for September
Fernandez, 38, was ordered to appear before a judge on 17 September for his arraignment on both felony counts. He had already been in custody awaiting sentencing in the Bridegan murder when he was served with the arrest warrant. The arrest and booking reports reference a date of 22 March 2023 — just under a week after Fernandez was first arrested in connection with the Bridegan homicide.
Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler disclosed the new charges during a pre-trial hearing Thursday for Gardner, noting that "newly discovered evidence" had come to light this week. She said the Special Victims Unit is now overseeing the additional investigation into Fernandez, who made his first appearance before a judge Thursday afternoon.
Prior allegation from military service
Fernandez joined the Army after high school and rose to the rank of drill sergeant. In January 2018 — shortly before he met and married Gardner — he faced a sexual assault allegation from a recruit under his command. Those charges were dropped, but Fernandez received a less-than-honorable discharge.
Murder conviction and sentencing
On Wednesday, a jury convicted Fernandez of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in the death of Bridegan. He faces an automatic sentence of life in prison.
Prosecutors described the killing as a murder-for-hire scheme rooted in years of acrimonious child custody battles between Bridegan and Gardner, his former wife, who later married Fernandez. Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager and father of four, was shot dead in February 2022 after he stepped out of his SUV to move a tire that had been placed in the road in Jacksonville Beach. He had just dropped off the twins he shared with Gardner following a regular "date night" dinner. His daughter was sitting in a car seat nearby when he was killed.
"They wanted a majority of the decision making. They wanted more custody, even 60-40," Stifler said during closing arguments. "It doesn't matter if they were completely right about the situation or completely wrong. What matters is how they fixed it. They fixed it by executing a man when they had other alternatives available to them."
Hired killer and $10,000 in payments
Prosecutors alleged that Fernandez paid Henry Tenon — a tenant at one of his rental properties who had no personal connection to Bridegan — to carry out the ambush. Stifler described Tenon as "basically homeless, squatting on people's couches with overdrawn bank accounts."
Jurors reviewed three cheques totalling $10,000 made out to Tenon after the homicide, recorded by Fernandez as payment for handyman work and a business idea, annotated with "good luck!!" Tenon's DNA was identified on the rim of the tyre that had been deliberately placed in the road.
Tenon initially pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against both Fernandez and Gardner, then reversed course and was subsequently indicted on first-degree murder and related charges.
Gardner trial pushed to May 2027
Gardner, Bridegan's ex-wife and the daughter of the co-founder of Utah-based arts-and-crafts company Stampin' Up!, had been scheduled to stand trial in early September, with jury selection set for Monday. The new charges against Fernandez and related considerations have delayed her trial; it is now scheduled for May 2027. The state intends to join the Tenon and Gardner cases and try them together at that time.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)