As the shocking murder of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan on February 16 continues to be mysterious to his family and friends, there is news about his ex-wife Shanna Fernandez that might be connected to the unfortunate murder, reports say.
According to reports, in 2015, Shanna Fernandez got a piercing done on her genitals at a Florida tattoo parlor after she divorced Bridegan. An employee and she became friends and one day, over dinner, she spoke about her divorce. This was when the couple had divorced but were still living under the same roof.
Fernandez allegedly stated that her life could be better if Bridegan could just “shut up.” She also allegedly asked him if he or his friends knew anyone who could “shut him up.” He also told detectives that Fernandez had complained Bridegan was ‘trying to take all of her money.’
Fernandez, the daughter of Stampin’ Up! co-founders Sterling and Shelli Gardner, allegedly wooed Bridegan in 2009 with the promise of luxury from her parents’ $100 million corporation.
As the murder remains unsolved, Fernandez and her new husband, Mario, last week recruited attorney Henry Coxe III, a former president of the Florida Bar who specializes in federal and state criminal proceedings.
On Tuesday, Coxe reportedly revealed that the Jacksonville Beach couple hired him to investigate whether steps might be made to shield her infant twins from any exposure surrounding this unfortunate tragedy.
During the divorce proceedings, Fernandez wanted exclusive occupancy of the family’s home as well as the custody of the twins. On the other hand, Bridegan told the court that he deserved custody, alimony and child support payments, and ownership of the house because she could live elsewhere. Despite agreeing to share custody in 2015, the couple fought in court for six years, during which time both of them married other people — Bridegan married Kristen, and Fernandez married Mario.
On February 16, Bridegan dropped the twins at his ex- wife’s residence about 7.30 p.m. and was on his way home when he stopped to move a tire placed in the road and was shot several times close to the driver’s door of his Volkswagen Atlas. Bexley, Bridegan’s two-year-old daughter with Kristen, was fastened in her car seat.
Police have not yet identified a suspect or a possible motive for the father-of- four’s death. The First Coast Crime Stoppers has doubled its previous reward to $50,000 for information.
