Kirsten Bridegan, the widow of slain Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, testified Monday about the bitter custody conflict and the final phone call she shared with her husband before he was fatally ambushed. Her testimony came as the murder trial of Mario Fernandez Saldana, accused of helping to plan and finance the killing, began in Florida.

Prosecutors allege that Fernandez Saldana conspired with Bridegan's ex-wife, Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, and hired Henry Tenon as the gunman. Fernandez Saldana has pleaded not guilty, with his defense team arguing the state cannot prove he solicited or intended Bridegan's death.

Kirsten Bridegan described to jurors the prolonged disputes over parenting time, medical expenses, schooling, and religious decisions for the twins she shared with her ex-husband. "There’s absolutely no trust," she stated, noting that communication between the families relied almost entirely on texts and emails.

On the night of the killing, Feb. 16, 2022, Jared Bridegan had just dropped off the twins at Gardner-Fernandez's home after a dinner outing with them and his daughter Bexley. Prosecutors say Bridegan encountered a tire placed in the middle of a dark, secluded Jacksonville Beach road as he drove home. He stopped to move the tire and was repeatedly shot. His 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, remained strapped in her car seat during the attack.

Kirsten testified that she spoke to her husband after he dropped off the twins, and their daughter excitedly mentioned getting ice cream. The call ended abruptly in an unusual silence. "It was strange. I remember feeling like it was strange because after I was like, ‘All right, well, love you, I’ll see you soon.’ He was just quiet," she said. "I was like, ‘Okay, it’s kind of weird,’ and hung up, but it was like a pause and just quiet."

When Jared Bridegan did not return home, Kirsten began calling him. She drove toward Jacksonville Beach with her mother until a police officer, who had answered her husband’s phone, directed her to the police station. There, she was informed that her husband had been shot and killed.

The case has led to three arrests and a series of separate trials. Fernandez Saldana’s trial is the first to reach a jury. Shanna Gardner-Fernandez was arrested in October 2023 and faces charges including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Henry Tenon was arrested in January 2023 and initially pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under a cooperation agreement, but he later withdrew his plea and is scheduled for a separate trial.

Jury selection for Fernandez Saldana’s trial began Aug. 10, 2026. Prosecutors contend that Tenon’s cooperation corroborated evidence of Fernandez Saldana’s involvement, including checks written to Tenon and phone records showing frequent communication around the time of the killing. Fernandez Saldana’s defense maintains that payments to Tenon were for legitimate work and that no physical evidence places him at the scene.

Gardner-Fernandez's trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, 2026, with jury selection starting Aug. 31. Tenon’s trial is slated for March 29, 2027.