JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mario Fernandez is now facing two charges of lewd & lascivious molestation that were filed this week after his conviction in the murder of Jared Bridegan. One was for 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 about 8 years old and that the abuse “went on for many years.”
NOTE: News4JAX does not identify child victims or victims of sex crimes.
The girl described the abuse as happening in the bedroom of her Jacksonville home.
The second arrest affidavit involves a different child victim, whose age is redacted. She told investigators about a specific incident on March 11, 2022, when she was staying at the home of Fernandez and his wife, Shanna Gardner.
She said because of circumstances, she ended up alone in the home with Fernandez, who came into her room, “spooned” her and grinded against her until she got up and locked herself in the bathroom.
Fernandez was ordered to return to court on Sept. 17 for his arraignment on both felony charges.
The arrest and booking reports reference a date of March 22, 2023, which would have been just under a week after Fernandez was first arrested in the Jared Bridegan homicide.
Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler said in court Thursday during a pre-trial hearing for Fernandez’s wife, Shanna Gardner, that new charges had been filed against Fernandez after “newly discovered evidence” came to light this week.
She said the Special Victims Unit is overseeing the new investigation into Fernandez, who made his first appearance before a judge Thursday afternoon.
Fernandez, 38, was already in jail, pending his sentencing in the Jared Bridegan murder, when he was served with the arrest warrant for the new charges.
Fernandez joined the Army after high school, and eventually became a drill sergeant. But in January of 2018, shortly before he met and married Gardner, he faced an allegation of sexual assault from a recruit under his charge. The charges were dropped, but Fernandez was given a less-than-honorable discharge.
Fernandez was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in Bridegan’s death. He faces an automatic sentence of life in prison.
Gardner, Bridegan’s ex-wife, was set to begin trial on murder charges in early September, with jury selection slated for Monday.
The new charges against Fernandez and other considerations have delayed Gardner’s trial, which will now happen in May 2027.
Bridegan’s murder
Fernandez was convicted in what prosecutors called a murder-for-hire scheme following years of stormy child custody battles between Bridegan and his wealthy ex-wife, who is now married to Fernandez.
The Microsoft design manager and father of four was gunned down in February 2022 after he got out of his SUV to remove a tire from a road in Jacksonville Beach.
He had just left the twins he shared with Gardner at her home following a regularly scheduled “date night” dinner.
The attack stumped police for months as they struggled to understand why someone with no apparent enemies would be killed while his daughter sat nearby in her car seat.
Prosecutors argued Bridegan was killed because of ongoing strife with Gardner, his former wife, over the parenting of their twins.
“They wanted a majority of the decision making. They wanted more custody, even 60-40,” Stifler said during closing arguments Tuesday. “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. That’s why we’re here.”
Prosecutors said Fernandez hired Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his rental properties, to carry out the fatal ambush. Tenon had no personal connection to Bridegan, whom he had never met.
The prosecutor described him as “basically homeless, squatting on people’s couches with overdrawn bank accounts.”
Jurors saw three checks totaling $10,000 written to Tenon after the homicide, marked as payments by Fernandez for handyman work and a business idea — “good luck!!”
Tenon’s DNA was identified on the rim of the tire that was intentionally placed in the road, police said.
Tenon initially pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Fernandez and Gardner but backed out and was indicted on first-degree murder and other charges.
The state will now seek to join the Tenon and Gardner cases and try them together in May 2027.
Gardner is the daughter of the co-founder of Stampin’ Up!, an arts-and-crafts company based in Utah.
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