JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In his initial court appearance following the retraction of his guilty plea, Henry Tenon, who stands accused of acting as a hitman in the murder of Jared Bridegan, declared his innocence.

Investigators allege Bridegan fell victim to an ambush on February 16, 2022, in Jacksonville Beach, a crime believed to be orchestrated as part of a “murder-for-hire” scheme.

Initially, in 2023, Tenon admitted to second-degree murder, accepting a plea deal that suggested a sentence ranging from 15 years to life. However, after retracting his guilty plea in February this year, Tenon now faces the prospect of a trial.

Furthermore, Tenon has submitted a motion to prevent his earlier guilty plea from being referenced during the trial, a request currently under judicial consideration.

The motion argues that under Florida law, any statements made during plea negotiations are strictly prohibited from being used in criminal proceedings.

It goes on to say the purpose of the rule is to “promote free and open plea negotiations without fear that a defendant’s statements will later be used against him at trial.” 

Tenon’s next court appearance is Monday, May 4.

Bridegan was murdered while moving a tire out of the middle of a road in Jacksonville Beach. Police and prosecutors have called his killing a “murder-for-hire plot” orchestrated by his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and her second husband, Mario Fernandez-Saldana. Both Gardner and Fernandez-Saldana have pleaded not guilty to all their charges.

With Tenon’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea now approved, Tenon is set to go on trial along with Gardner, 32, and Fernandez-Saldana, 37. Tenon is charged with second-degree murder with a weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory after the fact and child abuse in the case.

Before backing out, as part of Tenon’s plea agreement, prosecutors would have dropped all of his charges except second-degree murder in exchange for him “truthfully” testifying against Gardner and Fernandez.

Jury selection for the trial is set to begin on Aug. 10, 2026, with a selection of 250 prospective jurors per defendant. The trial is scheduled to last from Aug. 17 through Aug. 28.