UPDATE: On August 17, 2023, authorities in Jacksonville, Florida announced the arrest of Shanna Gardner-Fernandez in connection to the February 2022 shooting of her ex-husband, 33-year-old Jared Bridegan. She was arrested in Washington state and will be extradited to Florida to face the charges.
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UPDATE: On March 16, 2023, officials announced the arrest of a second man in connection with Jared’s murder.
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It’s been almost a year since 33-year-old Jared Bridegan was murdered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department announced an arrest in connection with the homicide.
In the early evening of February 16, 2022, police officers responded to reports of shots fired on a quiet Jacksonville Beach street, where they found Jared Bridegan dead with multiple gunshot wounds, lying next to the open door of his Volkswagen Atlas.
Jared had been driving home to St. Augustine from Jacksonville Beach where he’d just dropped off his 9-year-old twins, a boy and girl from a previous marriage, at their mother’s house.
Bexley, his 2-year-old daughter with wife, Kirsten, was in the backseat of the SUV. She had witnessed the whole thing, but was otherwise unharmed.
Police say there was a tire in the middle of the road blocking the vehicle’s path and they believe it’s possible Jared was shot when he stopped and got out of his SUV to move it.
In April, Kirsten Bridegan told Dateline that she believed the tire was placed there by someone who wanted to target Jared. She said the route her husband was driving was one he had taken several times when dropping the twins off at their mother’s house, so someone who knew Jared’s routine could have taken advantage of it.
After the murder, investigators sought help from the community in locating a dark blue Ford F-150 four-door truck that was caught on security cameras from businesses in the area around the time of the murder.
For most of the year, investigators remained tight-lipped about where the investigation stood. Until Wednesday’s news conference.
“For almost a year, we have investigated this case,” Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said, and described the murder as a ruthless homicide which pained the community and Jared’s family. The chief then made an announcement. “Henry Tenon was arrested for the following crimes: Conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder with a weapon, accessory after the fact to a capital felony and child abuse — all directly related to the murder of Jared.”
State Attorney Melissa Nelson also spoke at Wednesday’s news conference and explained that the child abuse charge stems directly from the fact that Jared’s 2-year-old was put in harm’s way. Authorities believe Jared’s murder was planned and targeted. “We know Henry did not act alone,” Nelson stated.
Kirsten Bridegan was at the news conference Wednesday when the arrest was announced. “I thought I had mentally prepared myself for that moment,” she told Dateline. “But as his picture was shown and as the charges were read my hands started shaking, I wasn’t prepared for it. Thankfully, my sister-in-law was standing next to me and we held on to each other and got through it.” Kirsten expressed gratitude to all those who called in tips in the case, whether or not they were related to the case. “The fact you picked up the phone and tried is an enormous show of support and love to our family and Jared and we will forever be grateful,” she said.
At Wednesday’s news conference, Chief Smith also thanked the community for their help in the case. “I want to personally thank everyone who has come forward to offer even the smallest bit of information,” he said.
He noted that the information about the dark-colored Ford F-150 was extremely helpful to the authorities. “We asked for your help to identify a dark-colored F-150 Ford pickup spotted around the crime scene at the time of the shooting. And we sought information about the tire planted in the road that stopped Jared,” Chief Smith said. “Thank you again to everyone who stepped up, it was very helpful.”
Officials are still seeking information about Henry Tenon as it might relate to the case. Tenon, 61, was convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery in 2013. He has been in jail since August 2022 awaiting sentencing on unrelated felony charges.
On Thursday, Dateline spoke with Jared’s brother, Adam Bridegan, who described the arrest as bittersweet. “Feels good to have one answer,” he said. “But as soon as you receive that answer, reality sets in and you realize what you’re facing is, ‘OK, this was conspiracy. This individual did not act alone.’”
Both Adam and Kirsten told Dateline they don’t know of any connection to Henry Tenon. “He lives in a part of town we never frequented. I know for a fact Jared did not know this man and this man did not know Jared,” Kirsten said. “Who is this individual? No idea who he is,” Adam added. “We’re all just really concerned of how many people were truly involved in this.”
Some members of the public have raised questions about Jared’s ex-wife, Shanna Gardner-Fernandez. And sure to add fuel to that fire are property records that indicate Tenon lived in a house owned at that time by her current husband Mario Fernandez. They have not been named as suspects and have not been charged with anything in relation to this homicide. Gardner-Fernandez has publicly denied any involvement in Jared’s murder.
Kirsten described Wednesday’s arrest as a major step forward in the investigation. “It goes to prove silence from law enforcement doesn’t mean progress is not happening,” she said. Her brother-in-law was also optimistic when he spoke to Dateline. “We are filled with gratitude for all the work that has been done by the police,” Adam said. “And all those behind the scenes making sacrifices on Jared’s behalf to get justice.”
In the meantime, Adam told Dateline his family is focused on turning their grief into something positive, saying they are “trying to bring light where we have faced so much darkness over the last year.” In September, they established the Bridegan Foundation, an organization which creates “Bexley Boxes,” named after the Bridegans’ daughter who was in the car when her father was killed. The boxes are refillable kits provided to police stations to better equip officials who are interacting with traumatized children and contain comforting items that might help calm a child in a time of crisis. “It’s a great legacy for his children to carry on and carry that torch,” Adam said.
Henry Tenon appeared in court Thursday where the charges in the case were read. He has not yet entered a plea and is being held without bond. There is a court order sealing both the arrest warrant and the affidavit for 30 days.
Dateline spoke with Charlie Cofer, the elected public defender for Florida’s 4th Judicial Court, who said, “We follow a policy that it’s inappropriate to comment while a case is still pending.”
Tenon’s next court date is February 16, one year to the day after Jared Bridegan’s murder.
If you have information in the case, please call the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1661.
Editor's Note: This article was updated to include background information on Henry Tenon and comments following the arrest from Jared’s widow, Kirsten, and his brother, Adam.
