Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Tanner Horner, a former driver for a FedEx contractor, was sentenced to death in May 2026 for the murder of a 7-year-old girl, Athena Strand, in Texas.
This decision came after a Tarrant County jury unanimously voted for the death penalty following Horner's guilty plea to aggravated kidnapping and premeditated murder.
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This tragic case began with Athena's disappearance in late November 2022, which led to the discovery of her body and Horner's arrest.
Athena Strand was reported missing on November 30, 2022, from her home in rural Paradise, near Fort Worth, Texas, while playing outside.
Two days later, on December 2, 2022, her body was found approximately nine miles from her home in Wise County, southeast of Boyd.
Horner, 35, will be executed at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville on a date to be determined, although his sentence will be automatically appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Background to the Tragic Case
The Athena Strand murder case began when the little girl was reported missing on November 30, 2022, from her residence in Paradise, Texas.
Her disappearance immediately sparked a massive search by authorities and the public.
Two days after the report, Athena's naked body was found on December 2, 2022, about nine miles from her home in Wise County.
This discovery led the investigation to Tanner Horner, a FedEx driver who was last seen in the area.
The Role of the Former FedEx Driver and Details of the Crime
Tanner Horner, a former delivery driver for a FedEx contractor, became the prime suspect in the case.
On November 30, 2022, Horner was delivering a package containing a Christmas gift, a Barbie doll, to Athena Strand's home.
Horner initially claimed to have accidentally hit Athena with his delivery truck while backing out of the driveway, claimed he panicked and strangled Athena for fear she would tell her father, although Athena was not seriously injured in the collision.
However, prosecutors argued that Horner's account of the incident was a lie.
Athena was unharmed when Horner put her in the vehicle, and Horner even threatened her, saying, "Don't scream or I'll hurt you."
Horner's DNA evidence was found on Athena's underwear, and an audio recording from inside the van revealed an incriminating conversation in which Horner told Athena to "take off her clothes."
Horner then dumped Athena's body in the Trinity River.
Legal Process and Death Sentence
On April 7, 2026, Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and premeditated murder, just before his trial was to begin.
Following this guilty plea, the trial moved to the sentencing phase, where the jury was tasked with deciding whether Horner would receive life imprisonment or the death penalty.
For 16 days, the jury heard testimony, including arguments from both the prosecution and defense.
The evidence presented included graphic video and audio of Athena's final moments inside Horner's delivery van.
The prosecution showed photos of Athena inside the van before her murder, noting that although the van's cameras were turned off, the vehicle's microphone recorded the entire incident.
Horner's defense argued that Horner had autism and various mental illnesses, as well as exposure to large amounts of lead, prompting the jury to sentence him to life in prison.
However, on May 5, 2026, a Tarrant County jury unanimously sentenced Tanner Horner to death.
The jury found that there was a high probability that Horner would commit an act of criminal violence that would pose a continuing threat to the community, and that no mitigating circumstances would save the defendant's life.
Horner was to be executed at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, with an automatic appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.