"That tire was a trap" — and a widow describes the last time she heard his voice

The state opened by telling the jury the killing was designed to be untraceable. Assistant State Attorney Christina Simak Stifler called it "a targeted ambush, a planned tactical ambush with a tire in the road," said "the architects of Jared Bridegan's murder intended it to be the perfect crime — and it almost was," and framed the whole case in one line: "The killer was a stranger to Jared Bridegan. The murder was personal." She told jurors nobody in the world wanted him dead except Gardner and Fernandez. The defense answered by conceding almost everything except its client. Attorney James Hill said Fernandez had "no involvement in the murder of Jared Bridegan" and "no desire" to see him dead, pointed out the state cannot identify who drove the truck or who actually approached Henry Tenon — "They don't know who's driving the truck. They don't know who actually solicited Henry Tenon" — and cast the $10,000 in checks as pay for tree removal, roofing, landscaping and tile work plus start-up money for a pallet business. He also seized on the state's own concession: "We can't say where Mario Fernandez was during the time of the homicide." Then the witnesses began, working outward from the street where it happened. — Court TV — live trial updates · News4Jax/WJXT — Day 1 · CBS News / AP · St. Johns Citizen — openings, the checks, and the missing witness to any deal · First Coast News — live updates, Day 1

• Jonelle Cruz — Eyewitness. One of the first two witnesses called — people who were near the scene that night.
• Shane Borja — Eyewitness. Second of the scene witnesses the state used to put the jury on the street.
• Sgt. Lawrence Smith — Jacksonville Beach Police. Responding officer. The state walked through what police found: 10mm shell casings, the large tire blocking the road, and Bridegan's wedding ring, phone and wallet still on him — which matters because it rules out a robbery.
• Kirsten Bridegan — Jared Bridegan's widow. Described a co-parenting relationship that had collapsed into paperwork: "There was absolutely no trust, so everything was in writing. Text, email, we did not speak in person." She testified about their last phone call — "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" — and about the police call that came when he never got home. She became emotional when shown a photograph of him.
• Dr. Peter Gillespie — Medical examiner. Testified to cause of death — gunshot wounds — and described the autopsy findings, including wounds to the left shoulder area. The state used him to establish that Bridegan was shot as he was out of and beside the car.