Tanner Horner’s ex-girlfriend spoke of her relationship with the admitted killer as jurors decide whether to sentence him to life in prison or death
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(988x567:990x569):format(webp)/athena-strand-tanner-homer-040826-be870615659d4d9391bb0663f34d73d0.jpg)
Athena Strand; Tanner Lynn Horner.Credit : Texas EquuSearch/Facebook; AP/Shutterstock
An ex-girlfriend of Tanner Horner testified that one incident after their breakup left her deeply concerned about his mental state, years before the FedEx driver killed Athena Strand after encountering the 7-year-old on his delivery route.
“He did come to my house one time to ask for clarification of what was going on. And he walked about 20 miles to my house,” the woman, identified only as Reba, told jurors, according to NBC DFW.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/tanner-horner-042326-2-35a2656acba24bcc8bedd0bae8f6eb7e.jpg)
Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via AP
Reba said she and Horner first dated in high school and described him at the time as “sweet and endearing.” But after their breakup, she said she became worried about his behavior.
She testified that the two later reconnected as adults and briefly resumed a romantic relationship, though it ultimately ended after about three months. Horner, she said, “wanted more of a friends-with-benefits type of thing,” according to NBC DFW.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Athena-Strand-042126-2796ef79b8cd41c683589468d356ae71.jpg)
Wise County Sheriff’s Department
Reba said the relationship ended again because Horner was not ready to be a father and wanted to focus on his music.
Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping on April 7, PEOPLE previously reported. Jurors are now deciding whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without parole.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/athena-strand-1-041726-432dae0770574b6eb7f77a6581205f82.jpg)
NBC DFW/YouTube
Strand, 7, disappeared from her family’s Wise County driveway on Nov. 30, 2022, while Horner was delivering a package to the home, PEOPLE previously reported. Prosecutors say he abducted her and killed her inside his truck. Jurors have since been shown video and audio from inside the vehicle capturing her abduction and final moments.
Her body was later found in a rural creek two days after she vanished, and the medical examiner determined she died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation.
Jurors have also heard from other defense witnesses in recent days, including a former pastor and Horner’s mother, as attorneys focus on his background and behavior ahead of the sentencing decision.
News
Predicted Beforehand: A 10-page letter from a missing Florida PhD student has been released by her family, revealing she may have anticipated everything
The funds are expected to help in Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon’s “heartbreaking final return to Bangladesh,” according to the GoFundMe page Nahida S. Bristy (left); and Zamil Limon.Credit : University of South Florida Police Department; Facebook A fundraiser has been set up to assist the families of Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, 27-year-old doctoral students […]
Letter Revealed: The family of a missing PhD student in Florida has released a 10-page letter from their daughter — saying she had predicted everything beforehand
The funds are expected to help in Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon’s “heartbreaking final return to Bangladesh,” according to the GoFundMe page Nahida S. Bristy (left); and Zamil Limon.Credit : University of South Florida Police Department; Facebook A fundraiser has been set up to assist the families of Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, 27-year-old doctoral students […]
Behind Bars: Tanner Horner is reportedly seen as a “m0nster” by other pris0ners, according to a doctor — yet he doesn’t seem to understand it
The expert said Horner’s mother had to explain the impact of his actions to help him understand Credit : Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty; Wise County Sheriff’s Department A speech-language pathologist testified that Tanner Horner did not understand why other inmates viewed him as a “monster” after he killed 7-year-old Athena Strand. “An important […]
Inside Prison: A doctor has described Tanner Horner’s life behind bars, saying other inmates see him as a m0nster — but he doesn’t understand why
The expert said Horner’s mother had to explain the impact of his actions to help him understand Credit : Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty; Wise County Sheriff’s Department A speech-language pathologist testified that Tanner Horner did not understand why other inmates viewed him as a “monster” after he killed 7-year-old Athena Strand. “An important […]
“We need stronger action” — The families of the PhD students in Florida have issued a final demand for harsher measures against the guilty
The families of Nahida Sultana Bristy and Zamil Ahamed Limon called for an investigation into Avalon Heights housing, where Limon and the murder suspect had been assigned as roommates Nahida S. Bristy (left); and Zamil Limon.Credit : University of South Florida Police Department; Facebook The families of University of South Florida doctoral students Nahida Sultana Bristy […]
“I’ll give you everything” — The FedEx driver told investigators he would reveal it all if they allowed him to do one thing with his family
“If you give me a month with my family so I can have Christmas with my son, I’ll give you everything,” Tanner Horner said in a recorded interview played for jurors Tanner Horner during the first day of his capital murder trial on April 7, 2026 in Fort Worth, TX; Athena Strand.Credit : Juan Figueroa/The […]
End of content
No more pages to load
