Prosecutors seek death penalty for Athena Strand,7, murderer

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against the Texas FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and strangling a seven-year-old girl while delivering her Barbie Doll Christmas gifts.

Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, was arrested and charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in the death of Athena Strand. Horner is currently being held in the Wise County Jail on $1.5 million bond.

Earlier this week, District Attorney James Stainton filed court papers in federal court informing the judge that he will seek the death penalty against Horner if convicted of capital murder.

Under Texas law, the capital murder of a person under the age of ten qualifies the perpetrator for the death penalty.

Horner confessed to the heinous crime while delivering gifts to the family’s North Texas home. He told investigators that he accidentally hit Athena with his truck on November 30. ‘panicked’ before grabbing her and putting her in the vehicle.

Fearing what would happen if she told her parents, he strangled her inside the truck and dumped her body seven miles from her home, along a country road. She was found on December 2, 2022 in Wise County, Texas, just weeks away from Christmas.

Horner was arrested on December 2, 2022, the same day Athena’s body was found. He confessed to police that he abducted and abducted the girl during a delivery to her family’s home.

On February 17, a Wise County jury indicted Horner for kidnapping and murdering the young woman.

Police have told prosecutors they want them to seek the death penalty, according to NBC5. If convicted, Horner faces execution or life in prison.

Strand’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, released a statement about the allegation.

‘I would like to thank the Wise County Grand Jury for their role in this proceeding. Hearing the facts and circumstances of my 7-year-old daughter’s kidnapping and murder was certainly very difficult for them.’

“I want you to know that we deeply appreciate your work,” he added. ‘Tanner Horner’s indictment is the beginning of a long journey through the justice system.

‘I appreciate everyone’s continued support and for keeping Athena’s name and memory alive. Take a moment to hug her children and her loved ones. No one is promised another day.

Horner has been accused of sexually assaulting a child for nearly a decade and faces three additional charges for sexually assaulting a child in 2013 in Fort Worth. He is being held in jail on $1.5 million bail.

Athena’s father, Jacob Strand, has launched legal action against FedEx, alleging that they did not perform sufficient background checks before hiring Horner.

“I support the death penalty. In any sentence that may come,” said Gandy WFAA.

Every time she breathes, my daughter doesn’t.

“If I could sit across from him, I’d tell him that he’s nothing, but Athena is everything, and I’ll make sure everyone in this world knows he’s nothing and she’s everything.”

Gandy says that he wishes he had just gone and let his daughter walk.

“We are very forgiving people,” he said.

“If Athena hadn’t been hurt or even had a few bumps and scratches, he might have left.” We could have forgiven him.

“Accidents happen, but he chose to do more, and what he did was inexcusable.

‘I find it hard to believe that Athena couldn’t have left. Athena could have just walked away, and she wishes he had left her.

Gandy says that he is still grieving for his daughter as he tries to take care of his younger sister, Rilyn.

‘I triple check my doors every night and hug my three-year-old son tighter. I’m afraid to let her go. It’s all very, very scary and very, very sad,” Gandy said through tears.

It has been hard on our family. For my other three year old son. She doesn’t understand why she can’t call ‘sissy’ or why she hasn’t come home yet. It’s a long time for her without seeing her sister,’ she explains.

We are coping. We are trying to function. It’s been long. Hard but very chaotic at the same time.

‘I’m sad. I’m angry. I’m confused. I’m doing the best I can.

I have been very scared and do not sleep very often or for a long period of time. Noises at night scare me.