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The FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl was delivering her Christmas present when he snatched it from her driveway.
At a press conference on Thursday, Maitlyn Gandy, Athena Strand’s mother, recounted how Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, was delivering You Can Be Anything Barbies to the home of Strand’s father and stepmother in Paradise, Texas, last Wednesday when he allegedly took the young woman from him. girl and killed her.
“This package is the first time I’ve seen it,” Gandy said of the now-open Walmart box, explaining that the Barbies were going to be a Christmas present for his young daughter.
“Athena was robbed of the chance to grow to be all she wanted to be, and this gift, commanded out of innocence and love, is one she will never receive.”
Horner is being held at the Wise County Law Enforcement Center in Texas on $1.5 million bond as prosecutors work to build a death sentence against him.
He faces charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.
Maitlyn Gandy, the mother of Athena Strand, recounted how 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner was delivering a Christmas present for her daughter when she allegedly kidnapped and murdered her.
Horner, 31, confessed to police that he kidnapped and murdered 7-year-old Athena Strand on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities are now seeking the death penalty in her case.
The girl’s body was found six miles from where she was taken Wednesday afternoon.
The box Horner was delivering included some You Can Be Anything Barbies destined for Strand.
Texas authorities have said Horner confessed to the crimes and his case is scheduled to be turned over to the district attorney next week.
In the meantime, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow up on the tips it receives from the public so they can build an airtight case against you.
“Because of the age of the child, and because it was a kidnapping, we are going to seek the death penalty,” Sheriff Lane Atkin said. WFAA.
In the meantime, the attorneys representing Gandy and his family plan to conduct their own investigation to determine if more could have been done by FedEx to prevent the tragedy.
Benson Varghese wouldn’t go as far as announcing a lawsuit against the shipping company, but asked members of the community to contact them with any information, including whether they too received a package from Horner that day.
“We want a thorough investigation,” he said, telling reporters that he has several people he would like to speak with.
He added that he “completely agrees” with the sheriff’s decision to seek the death penalty, saying, “It’s certainly appreciated,” as Gandy has promised he will continue to seek justice for his daughter.
“I will spend the rest of my life fighting for her so that no other family will suffer such unbearable pain and grief,” he said.
“A monster tried to take Athena’s voice, but we are her voice,” Gandy told reporters on Thursday, adding: “Selection and hiring policies must be put in place so that monsters wearing delivery uniforms don’t appear in footsteps of our children”.
Gandy said he will continue to seek justice for his daughter’s death, saying “selection and hiring policies must be put in place so freaks wearing delivery uniforms don’t show up in our children’s footsteps.”
The FedEx van Homer was said to be driving was found several miles from where Athena was kidnapped.
FedEx issued a statement late Friday expressing its condolences to the family: “Words cannot describe our shock at the reports surrounding this tragic event.” First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this very difficult time.”
When asked about its hiring practices, a FedEx spokesperson said foxnews Digital that ‘contracts transportation, pickup and delivery services with more than 6,000 independent companies who are committed to providing outstanding package pickup and delivery services with their own employees.’
The spokesperson also said that every employee is subject to a criminal background check and “if we become aware of any criminal activity within our network, we work quickly to investigate and address those incidents, including cooperating with law enforcement.”
Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin says he is seeking the death penalty for the man accused of kidnapping and murdering a seven-year-old girl.
Police say they linked Horner to the murder based on a tip they received and his FedEx delivery route on Wednesday.
They say he snatched Athena Strand from the driveway of her family’s home in Paradise, Texas, that afternoon after the girl left after an argument with her stepmother while Horner delivered a package.
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, confessed to police that she kidnapped and murdered Athena on Wednesday afternoon.
When Athena did not re-enter and could not be found in her bedroom, her stepmother reported her missing to the police around 6:40 p.m.
Local police then worked in conjunction with the FBI, Texas Rangers and the Wise County Sheriff’s Offices to bring the case to a swift but tragic end, though two false leads sent police searching for the girl in the wrong places.
The young man’s body was eventually found in Boyd, about six miles from the home.
Horner confessed shortly after his arrest and now faces capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges.
He is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible in the case, Sheriff Akin said. He had no ties to the family.
At Thursday’s press conference, Gandy, who dyed her hair pink in memory of her daughter, spoke publicly about the loss.
She said it would be the first Christmas, Athena’s favorite holiday, in seven years that she won’t be able to hear or see “the excitement of Athena opening presents from Santa and Sissy.”
Gandy then described his daughter as “an amazing little girl who loved to dance and sing and all the animals” who “wasn’t afraid to get down to earth with the kids.”
Athena pictured with her younger sister, Rye, according to the couple’s mother, they hated being apart.
Athena’s mother posted the video along with this heartbreaking Facebook post.
Gandy previously shared a heartbreaking tribute to his young daughter on Facebook, revealing how his youngest daughter, Rye, kept crying over her ‘sissy’ after Athena left to spend time with her father and stepmother.
She was ready to return to her mother and sister in Comanche, Oklahoma, for Christmas.
The video was recorded on November 27, days before little Athena was first reported missing on November 30 and found dead on December 2.
Gandy says the video shows Rye “begging for his sissy.”
She says, ‘I kept telling her ‘Okay, we’ll see you soon.’ Not knowing how twisted our lives would become. I took it because she does this every time she thinks Sissy is going somewhere without her.
Eventually, Gandy says, Rye cried herself to sleep. The grieving mother continued, “This monster has now extended those feelings for my youngest daughter indefinitely.”
In another post, Gandy wrote: “Dad and mom were afraid of how beautiful she’s always been and we felt like we let them down.” Nobody deserves what happened to you, but especially you. I love you and love doesn’t even cover it. Mommy is broken without you.
He also described his angel as “innocent, beautiful, childish, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet.”
Gandy continued, “I don’t want her to be the girl known to be the one killed and discarded by a monster.” I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me.’
Mark Strand wrote that even though part of him wanted ‘five 5 minutes alone in a cell’ with Tanner Horner, 31, who kidnapped and killed his seven-year-old granddaughter Athena, he decided to listen to another part that he said forgiveness was the only way for him and his family to recover
Meanwhile, Athena’s grandfather, Mark Strand, said on Facebook that despite a part of him wanting ‘five minutes alone in a cell’ with 31-year-old Tanner Horner, he decided to listen to another part that was telling him that forgiveness was the only way he and his family will recover. .
“This man that I am is angry and I want five minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took Athena from us, but there’s a soft, gentle voice in the back of my head telling me I need to forgive him.” he wrote in an emotional Facebook post.
‘If I allow this hate to consume me, that voice will fade and eventually be silenced. Then that horrible spirit of hate will have succeeded and that is why this soft voice insists on telling me that I need to forgive this man.’