Texas girl found dead two days after being abducted by FedEx driver dropping package off at her home

Texas police found the body of a seven-year-old girl two days after she was allegedly abducted by a FedEx driver who was dropping off a package at her home in Paradise.

Athena Strand was found dead Friday night, police confirmed in Wise County, northwest of Dallas. Investigators revealed that she likely died “within an hour” of being abducted.

The suspect, Tanner Horner, 31, of Lake Worth, confessed to Athena’s kidnapping and subsequent murder to police and revealed how digital evidence along with interviews suggest the girl did not live much longer after coming into contact with Horner. .

Homer has now been charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He is now being held on $1.5 million bail.

“We’re saddened that it didn’t end the way we hoped it would,” Sheriff Lane Akin said during a news conference Friday night.

Horner is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible in the case, Akin said. He had no relationship or connection to the family.

According to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the girl was dropped off from school at her home in Paradise at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Sometime later, the young woman was outside her house after an argument with her stepmother. At the same time, Horner was delivering a FedEx package to her home.

When Athena did not re-enter and could not be found in her room, her stepmother reported her missing to the police around 6:40 p.m.

Police believe the girl was likely abducted from her driveway, just 200 yards from the safety of her home.

Police were only able to connect the dots between Athena’s disappearance and Horner’s delivery route after a tip, with the FBI, Texas Rangers and Wise County Sheriff’s offices working together to bring the case to a close. fast but tragic, although two false leads sent the police. looking in all the wrong places for the girl.

The young woman’s body was eventually found 10 miles from her home.

The county sheriff paid tribute to the locals who had helped with the investigation as hundreds of volunteers came out to help with a massive search.

“This community doesn’t like to lose our children and we were able to see that because of all the people who came out and helped us through this ordeal,” Akin said.

“It’s one of the toughest investigations I’ve ever been involved in because it’s a child, and every time a child dies, it hits your heart. You compare that child to your own children when they were that age,’ she added.

When asked about the family’s reaction to the girl’s death: “They are devastated,” Akin said.

“They are angry about what happened: a precious child that was taken from them.”

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.”