Henry Tenon, who previously admitted to being the triggerman in the 2022 killing of Jared Bridegan, has filed court documents seeking to withdraw the guilty plea he entered in 2023. In his motion, Tenon states he will not testify against co-defendants Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez‑Saldana, which could impact the state’s case. The filing sets the stage for a pretrial dispute over whether the plea and related testimony can be reversed before the co-defendants’ trial.
Motion says Tenon won’t testify
The motion, filed in Duval County on Friday, says Tenon informed his counsel "that he will not testify against Shanna Lee Gardner or Mario Enrique Fernandez Saldana" and asks the court to "withdraw his previously entered plea of guilt and set his case for trial." A hearing to set a date to hear Tenon’s motion is scheduled for Tuesday, according to Action News Jax. If the judge allows the withdrawal, Tenon would be returned to the list of defendants and could face trial alongside Gardner and Fernandez‑Saldana.
Plea deal and stakes
Tenon pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, after prosecutors agreed to drop other charges in exchange for his truthful testimony against Gardner and Fernandez‑Saldana, according to First Coast News. Under that plea he faced at least 15 years for second‑degree murder while other counts were to be dismissed, a deal prosecutors have said was tied to his willingness to cooperate. Tenon’s request to back out now, after initially admitting he shot Bridegan, raises fresh questions about the state’s witness strategy and the evidence it will lean on at trial.
Legal fallout if plea is undone
Legal observers say withdrawing a plea in a case built around a cooperating triggerman would complicate the prosecution but would not necessarily end it. A criminal-law analyst told News4JAX that the state would likely argue it still has other evidence against the co‑defendants and that a jury could convict without Tenon’s testimony. Defense teams, however, are expected to seize on any recantation to attack the credibility of the key witness.
What happened in 2022
Authorities say Bridegan was ambushed on Feb. 16, 2022, after stopping to move a tire deliberately placed on Sanctuary Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach; he was shot while his young daughter remained in the car, according to reporting by the AP. The killing prompted a lengthy investigation and later indictments accusing Gardner and Fernandez‑Saldana of arranging a murder‑for‑hire, charges that carry the possibility of the death penalty. Those central facts have driven intense pretrial discovery battles over evidence and witness statements.
Discovery questions and a prior recantation
Defense lawyers have pointed to earlier court moments when Tenon appeared to suggest his testimony was unreliable, telling a judge in January that his testimony was "false testimony." Documents later released and obtained by local reporters show Tenon told prosecutors in a January meeting that he had at times denied culpability and described making statements to prompt further questioning of other suspects, material the defense says should have been disclosed. Those records and the dispute over what was shared with co‑defendants are detailed in reporting by Jacksonville Today.
What’s next
A hearing to set a date to consider Tenon’s motion is scheduled on Tuesday, and if a judge grants withdrawal the state and defense will be back to wrangling over discovery and pretrial issues. If Tenon is returned to trial, the two co‑defendants are scheduled to begin trial on August 10, 2026, as reported by Action News Jax. August 2026 trial delay coverage previously highlighted the schedule changes for the high‑profile trial.
The motion introduces a new development in a case that has already involved more than four years of investigation and legal proceedings. Attorneys for Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez‑Saldana have entered not guilty pleas. Tenon is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, where the judge will decide whether to allow him to withdraw his plea. The decision will influence how prosecutors move forward with the remaining defendants.
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