Tarrant County Jury Sentences FedEx Driver to Death for Murder of 7-Year-Old Athena Strand
A Tarrant County jury has sentenced 34-year-old Tanner Horner to death for the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand. The sentencing on Tuesday concluded a trial that began with Horner’s guilty plea to capital murder.
Trial Overview
Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder at the start of his trial last month. The proceedings then moved to a punishment phase, during which jurors heard testimony from the victim's family, witnesses, and expert witnesses.
After deliberating for over two hours, the jury returned a death penalty verdict.
Horner will remain in Tarrant County jail until he is transferred to the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville.
The Crime
On November 30, 2022, Horner, a FedEx delivery driver, went to the Strand family home in Paradise, Texas, to deliver a package.
Horner’s Initial Account: According to an arrest warrant, Horner told investigators he accidentally struck Athena with his delivery van while backing out of the driveway. He stated he panicked, placed the child in his van, and strangled her out of fear she would tell her father. He claimed he first attempted to break her neck, and when unsuccessful, strangled her with his hands.
Prosecution’s Account: Wise County District Attorney James Stainton stated during the trial that Horner's account of accidentally hitting Athena was false. Stainton asserted that Athena was uninjured when Horner placed her into the vehicle.
Evidence Presented
Prosecutors presented the following evidence during the trial:
- Security video from November 30, 2022, showed Horner cleaning the interior of his FedEx delivery van with spray and paper towels for several minutes
- Audio and video from inside the delivery van captured Athena’s final moments, including Horner telling her not to scream, asking her personal questions, and instructing her to remove her shirt
- Athena was heard crying and asking for her mother
- A medical examiner testified that Athena died from blunt force injuries, smothering, and strangulation
- DNA evidence showed Horner’s DNA was found under Athena’s fingernails, indicating a struggle
Athena’s body was found two days later, approximately 9 miles from her home, southeast of Boyd.
Sentencing Phase Arguments
Prosecution: The prosecution argued for the death penalty, stating that Horner told "lie upon lie upon lie upon lie" in the case.
Defense: Horner’s attorney, Steven Goble, acknowledged the evidence was "overwhelming" and "terrible." He requested a life sentence, citing mitigating factors: Horner’s mother drank during pregnancy, he has autism, suffered from various mental illnesses, and was exposed to a significant amount of lead.
The jury found a probability that Horner would commit criminal violence and be a continuing threat to society, and determined that no mitigating factors warranted a sentence of life without parole.
Victim Information
Ashley Strand, Athena’s stepmother, testified that the package Horner delivered was a Christmas gift for Athena: a box of "You Can Be Anything" Barbies. She described Athena as enjoying living "wild and free" in the rural country setting.
"He had destroyed a family and stolen a sense of safety."
Elijah Strand, Athena’s uncle, read an impact statement on behalf of the family. He described the devastation caused by Horner’s actions and stated that Horner had destroyed a family and stolen a sense of safety.
Trial Logistics
The trial was moved from rural Wise County to Fort Worth following arguments from Horner’s attorneys that he would not receive a fair trial in the original jurisdiction.