In a Tarrant County courtroom on Tuesday, former FedEx driver Tanner Lynn Horner entered a surprise guilty plea for the capital murder and aggravated kidnapping of seven-year-old Athena Strand. The admission came just as the capital murder trial was slated to begin, effectively skipping the guilt phase of the legal proceedings.
Horner, 35, admitted to the 2022 killing that occurred in Paradise, Texas. The case has now transitioned immediately into the sentencing phase, where a jury will determine whether Horner faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors detailed the events of November 30, 2022, stating that Horner struck the young girl with his delivery van while making a package drop-off at her residence. According to the state’s evidence, Horner did not seek medical assistance following the collision.
Instead, Horner kidnapped the child from the property, later strangling her and abandoning her body. Athena’s remains were discovered by law enforcement officials two days after she was reported missing from her home following an extensive search.
During the first day of the sentencing phase on Wednesday, April 8, jurors were presented with forensic evidence and crime scene documentation. Among the items shown was a photograph of the victim standing in the cargo area of Horner’s FedEx truck shortly before her death.
Members of the Strand family were present in the courtroom as Judge Elizabeth Beach accepted the plea. The atmosphere remained somber as the prosecution began presenting testimony to establish the aggravating factors of the crime for the jury.
Defense attorneys are expected to provide mitigating evidence in an effort to avoid a death sentence for their client. Under Texas law, capital murder carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case has remained a focal point of public interest across North Texas since the initial disappearance. The sentencing portion of the trial is expected to continue throughout the week as the jury weighs the final punishment.