Officials said that the woman accused of orchestrating her Microsoft executive husband’s murder and fleeing across the country with his children, will be brought back in handcuffs to the Sunshine State.
Shanna Gardner Fernandez, 35 was arrested on August 16 in West Richland (Washington), more than 18 month after Jared Bridegan was killed in front of Jared’s toddler daughter at Jacksonville Beach in Florida.
She made a surprising and unusual move at her first court appearance, causing extra paperwork and months of delay.
EX-WIFE OF JARED BRIDEGAN ARRESTED IN MICROSOFT EXEC MURDER
Mario Fernandez with his wife, Shanna Gardener-Fernandez. They are both smiling at the memorial to her ex-husband Jared Bridegan. She shares twins aged 10 years old with him. Since then, the couple has been charged with Bridegan’s murder.
Washington Gov. Jay Islee has just approved her extradition after receiving a warrant by Florida Gov. The Jacksonville State Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that Ron DeSantis signed a warrant last month.
David Robbins, a criminal defense attorney, said Gardner-Fernandez might have fought extradition in order to stay as long as she could in the comfortable Benton County Jail.
FLORIDA EX-WIFE OF SLAIN MICROSOFT EXECUTIVE HIRES CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
She will be held in the overcrowded, rundown Duval County Jail once she arrives in Jacksonville.
Robbins stated that 11 prisoners had died this year. “I cannot think of any reason for her to want to rush into Jacksonville.”
Jared and Kirsten bridegan in a family portrait. (Infinite Focus Photography/Madeline Insignares)
He said that the twins, who are 11 years old, she shares with Bridegan, were still attending school in Washington and it is possible she wanted to stay close to them.
Gardner-Fernandez has been indicted for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. She could also face the death sentence.
MAJOR BREAK IN JARED BRIDEGAN MURDER MYSTERY AFTER EX-WIFE MOVES CROSS-COUNTRY
Her arrest is the third in this case. Mario Fernandez and Henry Tenon, 61 (the gunman) were arrested months ago. Tenon is a former landlord of Fernandez and has been cooperating with the prosecutors.
Mario Fernandez, Henry Tenon and Jared Bridegan are accused of killing Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan. (Orange County Jail/ Jacksonville State Attorney’s Office).
The trio has been accused of plotting to shoot Bridegan on February 16, 2022 after he had dropped off twins that he shared with Gardner-Fernandez. Since their divorce in 2015, the couple had been involved in a bitter custody battle and financial dispute.
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Bexley Bridegan, the daughter he shares with Kirsten Bridegan was in his car at the time of his death. Kirsten was home with London, their infant.
