Former FedEx Driver Admits Guilt in Capital Murder Case of 7-Year-Old Texas Girl
In a shocking turn of events, a former FedEx driver pleaded guilty to capital murder on Tuesday, just as his trial commenced in Fort Worth, Texas. Tanner Horner confessed to the December 2022 killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand, a case that has gripped the community with its tragic details.
Details of the Crime and Emotional Testimony
According to court documents, Horner told authorities that he accidentally struck Athena with his van while delivering a Christmas gift to her home in Paradise, a rural town near Fort Worth. In a fit of panic, he then strangled the young girl. Her body was discovered two days after she was reported missing, with Horner leading investigators to the location.
During the trial, jurors began hearing testimony immediately after the plea. Athena's stepmother took the stand, describing the frantic search for the child. The jury was shown a chilling image from a video inside the delivery truck, capturing Athena alive and sitting on her knees behind the driver's seat, moments before her death.
Horner's Confession and Motive
An arrest warrant revealed that Horner admitted to investigators that after hitting Athena while backing up, she was not seriously injured. However, he panicked, placed her in his van, and, fearing she would tell her father, attempted to break her neck. When that failed, he strangled her with his hands in the back of the vehicle.
The package Horner had delivered was a Christmas present for Athena—a box of "You Can Be Anything" Barbies, adding a heartbreaking layer to the crime. Her family has been devastated by the loss, with the trial bringing renewed attention to the case.
Trial Proceedings and Punishment
The trial was relocated from Wise County to Fort Worth after Horner's attorneys argued he would not receive a fair trial in the rural area. Jurors will now decide his punishment, which could include the death penalty or life in prison. As the proceedings continue, the community awaits justice for Athena Strand, a young life cut short in a senseless act of violence.
