Former FedEx Driver Sentenced to Death for Murder of 7-Year-Old Texas Girl
Tanner Horner, a former FedEx driver, has been sentenced to death for the 2022 murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Texas.
A Texas jury has sentenced former FedEx driver Tanner Horner, 34, to death for the 2022 murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand. Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder last month, leading to the sentencing phase where jurors heard extensive testimony, including audio recordings from inside Horner's delivery van capturing Athena's final moments.
Athena was reported missing from her home in Paradise, near Fort Worth, in November 2022. Her body was discovered two days later. Prosecutors presented evidence that Horner abducted Athena during a delivery, threatened her, and ultimately killed her. A medical examiner testified that she died from blunt force injuries, smothering, and strangulation.
During the trial, Horner's defense highlighted his mental health issues, including autism and exposure to lead, arguing for a life sentence. However, the jury determined that Horner posed a continuing threat to society, warranting the death penalty.
Athena's family revealed that the package Horner delivered contained a box of "You Can Be Anything" Barbies, intended as a Christmas gift for her.