The murder trial for Tanner Horner, a former FedEx driver who pleaded guilty to the 2022 slaying of 7-year-old Athena Strand, has shifted into a grim phase as prosecutors present evidence to dismantle Horner’s defense. During the second part of the trial, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton argued that the death penalty is the only appropriate sentence for Horner.
The details emerging from the courtroom are incredibly difficult to process. Prosecutors revealed that DNA evidence suggests Horner likely sexually assaulted the 7-year-old girl. Stainton noted that investigators recovered DNA from Athena that matches Horner, including samples found under her fingernails, as well as evidence in other locations that should not be present on a young child. This directly contradicts Horner’s earlier narratives.
Per USA Today, Horner initially claimed that he accidentally hit Athena with his delivery van in Paradise, Texas. He told investigators he panicked because he feared she would tell her father about the accident, so he kidnapped her to take her to a hospital. He insisted that she wasn’t alive when he put her in the vehicle, but this was proven false by a photograph captured inside the truck. The image shows the young girl alive and kneeling near the driver’s seat.
Everything about this story makes me nauseous
The prosecution team has introduced extensive evidence to show that the abduction was not an impulsive reaction to an accident but a calculated act of violence. Stainton informed the jury that Horner had been in the area 24 hours before the kidnapping, scouting for potential victims at a different house on the same road. Jurors were told they would see an hour-long video documenting Horner’s preparation, which included covering the in-cab camera.
Per the NY Post, the audio evidence played for the jury was harrowing. Prosecutors stated that the recording lasts for an hour and captures the struggle between the 250-pound man and the 67-pound child. Stainton emphasized that the little girl fought with the strength of 100 men while facing certain death. He noted that the audio also captures the sound of banging and screaming inside the truck.
NY Post also reported that during his police interview, Horner attempted to shift the blame for his actions to a separate personality. He claimed that when he failed to calm the girl down, his alter ego, Zero, took over. He told investigators he felt like the crimes were a nightmare and that he did not actually kill the child.
Horner even suggested that Zero moved the girl’s body to the Trinity River and removed her clothes in an attempt to mislead investigators. He admitted to dragging her body across the road and throwing her into the bamboo before the alleged alter ego took further steps to hide the crime.
Jurors have been shown disturbing physical evidence found inside the delivery truck, including a rope and a bungee-like cord. The trial has been so graphic that a local news station, NBC Dallas Fort Worth, had to cut away from its live broadcast during the playing of audio recordings. Throughout the proceedings, Horner has been observed closing his eyes and bowing his head.
The defense team, led by Steven Goble, is focusing on mitigating factors, specifically Horner’s history of mental illness and potential lead poisoning, in a bid to secure a life sentence without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty. They argue that his psychological state should be considered during the sentencing phase.
Athena Strand was reported missing by her stepmother on November 30, 2022, and her body was discovered two days later. The package Horner was delivering to the family home that day contained Christmas gifts, including Barbies. The contrast between his role as a delivery driver and the violence he inflicted has been a central point of the prosecution’s argument.
As the trial continues, the jury faces the heavy responsibility of determining whether Horner will face the death penalty for his actions. The evidence presented so far points to a level of cold-heartedness and planning that has left many, including those in the courtroom, struggling with the reality of what occurred inside that delivery van.
We live in a world where we hear stories of FedEx drivers going out of their way to help customers, or even hurting themselves to try to protect property. In this world, Horner’s actions are a terrifying reality check of the danger of strangers.
Published: Apr 12, 2026 01:00 pm