Tanner Horner gazes at his defense team before admitting guilt to capital murder for the November 2022 strangulation death of 7-year-old Athena Strand on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas. AP
A former FedEx driver, Tanner Horner, was sentenced to death on April 7, 2026, after pleading guilty to the 2022 murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand. The crime, which occurred in the rural town of Paradise, Texas, shocked the community. Horner kidnapped the girl while delivering a Christmas gift, leading to a horrifying series of events that ultimately ended in her death.
Crime Details
Athena Strand was reported missing from her home in November 2022, shortly after Horner made a delivery. Two days later, her body was found. During the trial, audio recordings from inside Horner’s delivery van provided chilling evidence of the crime. The recordings captured Athena’s final moments, where she can be heard pleading for her life.
The jury heard distressing audio and video showing Horner lifting Athena into the van. In the van, Athena cried and begged to go home. At one point, she asked Horner why he was doing this, to which he replied, “Because you are pretty.” The recording continues with her screams and pleading for her mother as Horner threatened to harm her further if she didn’t stop.
A medical examiner testified that Athena died from blunt force injuries, suffocation, and strangulation.
Plea and Sentence
Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder just as his trial began in April 2026. Despite his guilty plea, his defense team sought to avoid the death penalty. Horner's lawyer, Steven Goble, argued that Horner suffered from autism, mental illness, and fetal alcohol syndrome, and had been exposed to high levels of lead. He asked the jury for a sentence of life in prison instead of death.
However, after hearing a month of testimony, including the harrowing audio evidence, jurors determined that Horner posed a continuing threat to society. They agreed that his actions warranted the death sentence rather than life without parole.
Prosecutor James Stainton criticized Horner’s repeated lies, including his claim that Athena had been accidentally struck by his van, which he later admitted was a lie.
Victim's Family and Impact
Athena's family was deeply affected by the crime. The package that Horner had been delivering to the family was a Christmas gift for Athena — a box of "You Can Be Anything" Barbies. The girl’s family expressed their grief and anger, with Athena’s mother speaking out about the pain of losing her daughter in such a horrific manner.
The trial was moved from rural Wise County to Fort Worth, Texas, to ensure a fair process, as Horner's defense team believed he could not receive an impartial trial in his home county due to the high-profile nature of the case.
