Ex-FedEx driver Tanner Horner sentenced to death for Texas girl’s murder

Prosecutors say he kidnapped and strangled Athena Strand when he was delivering Barbies to her house

Published May 05, 2026  •  Last updated 4 hours ago  •  2 minute read

Defendant Tanner Horner enters the courtroom for closing arguments during the punishment phase of his capital murder trial Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo by Amanda McCoy /Star-Telegram via AP

A former FedEx driver was sentenced to death on Tuesday after he admitted to killing a seven-year-old girl while he was delivering what would have been her Christmas gift to her Texas home.

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Tanner Horner, 34, was accused of kidnapping and strangling Athena Strand after hitting her with his delivery van in front of her home in in Paradise, Texas on Nov. 30, 2022.

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At the start of his trial before a jury in Fort Worth last month, he pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, which sent proceedings to the penalty phase.

Prosecutor James Stainton told jurors in opening statements that Horner was delivering Barbies to Athena’s house when he abducted her.

Her body was found two days after she was reported missing on Dec. 2, 2022, less than 16 kilometres away from her home.

Video and audio recordings moved jurors to tears

The jurors were shown disturbing surveillance video and audio recordings of the little girl’s last moments while she was inside Horner’s delivery van.

Several jurors cried when they were presented with the chilling hour-long audio and video clips. Horner could be seen lifting her into the van, and then driving away, telling her not to scream or he’d hurt her.

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An image shown in court during the trial of FedEx driver Tanner Horner in the death of 7-year-old Athena Strand. Photo by Court photo

Stainton said Horner covered the camera in his FedEx truck before attacking the little girl, and then repeatedly lied to authorities, including telling authorities that he accidentally struck the girl with his van while making the delivery and then killed her in a fit of panic.

The jury also heard testimony from a forensic psychiatrist and crime scene experts.

Defence sought life sentence

Horner’s defence lawyer pointed to his childhood with parents who had substance abuse issues, his struggles with autism and mental illness, and his exposure to toxic amounts of lead while pushing for a life sentence.

In their sentencing, which came after two and a half hours of deliberations, the jurors found there was a probability Horner would commit criminal violence and be a continuing threat to society. They said there was nothing in the commission of the crime or in Horner’s background to warrant life without parole instead of death.

According to CBS Texas, Athena’s uncle, Elijah Strand, delivered a tearful victim impact statement, telling Horner: “You did not just take a life; you destroyed a family. You took a little girl who trusted the world and repaid that innocence with violence. You chose to cause pain that will last generations. You say you found God, but what you did to Athena stands in direct opposition of everything you claim to believe.

— with files from The Associated Press

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