The ex-wife of Microsoft executive, Jared Bridegan, who allegedly orchestrated the murder of her ex-husband in Jacksonville refuses to be extradited to Florida. The woman was detained by authorities in the state of Washington and is fighting against the possibility of returning to the Sunshine State.
The mind behind Bridegan’s murder, named Shanna Gardner-Fernández, has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge and she is also accused of conspiring to have her husband killed. The woman refused to waive extradition to Florida and is currently in the custody of the Benton County Corrections Department in Washington.
In addition, Mario Fernandez, who is Gardner’s second husband, was arrested in March and was also charged with orchestrating the murder by hiring Henry Tenon to commit the shooting. Currently, prosecutors are seeking to apply the death penalty to Fernandez, so this might be the reason why Gardner refuses to be extradited to Florida.
According to online legal information sites, the latest twist is not the norm for cases related to violent crimes. EN Lawyers, a defense law firm based in Maryland affirmed the following: “Extradition requests are rarely denied. To reject or fight against interstate extradition can be fruitful under very limited circumstances that sometimes only work to prevent you from fighting your underlying case.”
Gardner is currently being held without bond and she is expected to re-appear in court on September 14.