It’s been nearly four years since Athena Strand disappeared from her father’s home in Paradise, Texas. Athena was outside when FedEx delivery driver Tanner Horner came to the home with a package of Barbie dolls on November 30, 2022. Horner said he accidentally struck Athena with his truck during the delivery. The 7-year-old reportedly told Horner she was OK, but for some reason, he allegedly panicked and put her into the back of the truck and later strangled her. On April 7, 2026, Horner unexpectedly pleaded guilty in court to killing Athena after previously saying he had not. Now a jury will decide his fate.
Horner pleaded guilty to two charges.
When Judge George Gallagher addressed Horner, he pleaded guilty to capital murder and an aggravated kidnapping charge, CBS Texas reported. After a brief recess, the court resumed for opening statements. The jury will decide Horner’s punishment, which could be the death penalty. As part of their opening statements, prosecutors warned about graphic video and audio content from the moments leading up to Athena’s death.
One photo will haunt the court forever.
The prosecution entered into evidence a screengrab from inside Horner’s FedEx truck. We see little Athena standing behind the driver, clearly OK. She was not seriously injured when Horner hit her, yet for some reason, he found it necessary to kill her instead of owning up to a minor mistake. Perhaps he would have faced repercussions at work, but that didn’t mean an innocent child had to die. According to prosecutors, Horner very clearly told Athena, “Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you,” the outlet reported.
Prosecutors argued that the kidnapping and murder were planned by Horner, rather than the result of an accident. The video from which the screengrab was taken was reportedly about an hour long. Although the camera was covered after a few minutes, the audio continued and evidently indicated that he attempted to kill her inside the truck multiple times and that the child fought back, per CBS Texas.
The defense presented a man plagued by mental health struggles.
Per CBS Texas, Horner’s attorneys claimed he had a difficult childhood and his mother worked as a stripper until his birth. Both his parents reportedly struggled with substance abuse, and even though Horner has autism, he did not receive support services until he turned 18. The defense also claimed he has a history of mental illness and exposure to high lead levels. Attorneys hope to sway the jury to sentence Horner to life in prison without parole, sparing his life.
Jurors were expected to continue deliberations on April 8.
Athena’s family wants justice.
Maitlyn Presley Gandy, Athena’s mom, shared gratitude with her supporters following the first day in court.
“I appreciate all of the love, prayers, and messages. I can’t get back to everyone, but please know I do appreciate you. Thank you to everyone who came today to support Athena and us,” she wrote on social media. “I’m sorry I’m not social. I’m not very good with people anymore.
No child ever deserves to die, but what happened to Athena Strand is particularly horrific. She became a victim of a man who panicked and ruined the lives of so many in the wake of his mistake. Horner also ruined his own life by telling lies. It’s a tragedy all the way around.
