Athena Strand Murder
Killer Sentenced To Death
Published
The former FedEx delivery driver who copped to kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl in Texas has been sentenced to death by lethal injection.
Tanner Lynn Horner learned his fate Tuesday when a Texas jury sentenced him to death.
He pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping last month in the November 2022 death of Athena Strand.
Horner entered his plea just before his trial … and then the jury was tasked with deciding between life in prison or capital punishment.
He was delivering packages for FedEx in November 2022 when he kidnapped Athena from outside her father’s home in Paradise, Texas. He was dropping off a Christmas gift for her when he kidnapped her and strangled her to death inside his delivery van.
During the trial, the jury was shown footage of Athena in Horner’s van.
The little girl went home on the school bus and was reported missing around 2 hours after she was dropped off … prompting a huge search effort by law enforcement and volunteers.
Athena’s body was found two days later … and police got a tip that led them to Horner.
After Horner was sentenced to death, Athena’s uncle, Elijah Strand, spoke out in court on behalf of the family, telling Horner to his face … “You destroyed a family. You will feel the wrath of God.”
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