A former FedEx driver was sentenced to death Tuesday after pleading guilty to kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old Texas girl while delivering a Christmas package to her home.
Jurors in a Fort Worth courtroom handed down the sentence for Tanner Horner, 34, after hearing nearly a month of testimony and evidence in the 2022 killing of Athena Strand. The evidence included audio recordings capturing some of Athena’s final moments inside Horner’s delivery van.
Athena disappeared from her family’s home in the rural town of Paradise, northwest of Fort Worth, in November 2022. Her body was discovered two days later.
Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder last month as his trial began. According to a livestream of the proceedings, he showed no visible reaction when the judge read the sentence.
Jurors concluded that Horner would likely commit future acts of violence and remain a continuing threat to society. They also determined there was nothing in the crime itself or in Horner’s background that justified a sentence of life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty.
During opening statements, prosecutor James Stainton said Horner had told “lie upon lie upon lie upon lie” throughout the investigation. Prosecutors said Horner falsely claimed he accidentally struck Athena with his delivery van and killed her in a panic afterward.
Jurors were shown video footage and heard audio recorded inside the van after Athena was abducted. Several jurors reportedly cried during the presentation.
The video showed Horner lifting Athena into the van before driving away and warning her not to scream.
After Horner covered the camera, the audio continued recording. Horner reportedly asked Athena questions about her age and school before stopping the van and telling her they were going to “hang out.”
According to the transcript, Horner then told Athena to remove her shirt. She began crying and asked whether he was a kidnapper.
“Why are you doing this?” Athena asked.
“Because you are pretty,” Horner replied.
“My mom says I can’t do that to somebody,” Athena told him. “And you can’t do that to me either.”
As the hour-long recording continued, Athena’s screams could be heard. At one point, Horner told her: “If you don’t shut up, I will hurt you worse.”
A medical examiner later testified that Athena died from blunt force injuries combined with smothering and strangulation.
Defense attorney Steven Goble acknowledged during opening statements that the evidence against Horner was “overwhelming” and “terrible.” However, Goble argued that Horner’s mother drank alcohol during pregnancy and said Horner suffered from autism, multiple mental illnesses, and exposure to “a massive amount of lead” during his childhood.
Goble urged jurors to sentence Horner to life in prison rather than death.
Athena’s family has said the package Horner delivered to their home before the abduction contained a Christmas gift for the young girl — a box of “You Can Be Anything” Barbie dolls.
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