FEATURE ARTICLE: THE GRANDMOTHER’S SAFETY NET

DECATUR, TEXAS — Day 15 of the Tanner Horner sentencing phase was a masterclass in emotional endurance. After two weeks of hearing about the “monster” in the FedEx truck and the “heroic” scouting at the Euler home, the defense brought in the one person who still sees a human being: his grandmother.

Taking the stand with a trembling voice, she didn’t talk about GPS logs or “Zero.” She talked about a little boy who was “quiet” and “helpful.” She described a home life where she tried to be the anchor for a child whose mother was lost to substance use. Her testimony was meant to show the jury that Horner was once reachable—that there was a soul worth saving.

The Nature vs. Nurture Trap

However, for an investigative reporter, the testimony actually highlighted a more terrifying possibility. If a “stable” grandmother couldn’t prevent the emergence of a predator, does that prove the defense’s point about lead poisoning?

Medical experts have already testified that Horner’s lead levels were 24 times the normal limit. If his brain was “chemically rewired,” then even a grandmother’s love was a band-aid on a bullet wound. But the prosecution was quick to counter: Millions of people have hard lives and don’t scout mnors in their driveways.*

The Shadow of the Euler Video

The grandmother’s “sweet boy” narrative was constantly interrupted by the shadow of the Tom Euler footage. Every time she mentioned a kind act from Tanner’s youth, the prosecution reminded the jury of the man who adjusted his mirrors to watch an 8-year-old on a swingset just days after ending the life of 7-year-old Athena.

The most damning moment of the day wasn’t a witness’s word, but Horner’s own jailhouse letters. While his grandmother was fighting for his life, Horner’s writings from his cell revealed a man more concerned with his “broken plans” and jailhouse meals than the grief of the family he destroyed.

The Final Countdown

As the grandmother stepped down, the defense rested. The “Broken Machine” defense is now complete. The jury is left with two images: A poisoned, abused boy who never had a chance, and a cold, calculating hunter who used a FedEx uniform as a cloak.

On May 5th, the world will find out if Texas believes in mercy for the “broken” or retribution for the “evil.”

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JOURNALIST’S FINAL TAKE: The grandmother’s testimony was a reminder that every “monster” has a family who once loved a child. But in a case this dark, is love enough to stop the needle?

Does the grandmother’s testimony make you feel more or less inclined toward the death penalty? Join the debate in the comments and watch our live summary of the final arguments at the link below.

The Brief

The defense is currently presenting its case in the punishment phase for Tanner Horner. The state rested after presenting graphic evidence of the final moments of 7-year-old Athena Strand’s life.
The former delivery driver pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing Athena Strand in 2022.
He faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Jurors returned to a courtroom in Tarrant County on Thursday to weigh a death sentence for Tanner Horner.

Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and kidnapping in the 2022 death of 7-year-old Athena Strand. He admitted to abducting the girl while delivering a package to her Wise County home on Nov. 30, 2022. The jury must now decide between the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Live Updates

3:30 p.m. Done for the week

Jurors were dismissed for the day. The judge also announced that there will be no testimony on Friday. Jurors are expected to return on Monday morning.

3:15 p.m. Grandmother Cross-Examined

Prosecutors asked Horner’s grandmother whether she understands that he is responsible for what happened, not his autism diagnosis.

“I think his problems had something to do with it,” she replied.

“He knows right from wrong, though, doesn’t he?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes he does,” she admitted.

“He knows not to kill?” the attorney asked.

“Yes, he knows that,” she said.

“He knows not to sexually assault a child?” the attorney asked.

“Yeah,” Horner’s grandmother said. “Totally shocked. I couldn’t believe it myself. And it doesn’t sound like, it doesn’t sound like him.”

“Are you angry with your grandson?” the defense attorney asked when redirected.

“Yes I am,” Jackie admitted. “I’m very angry, and I’m still working through this. But I still love him.”

1 p.m. Horner’s Grandmother Testifies

Horner’s maternal grandmother, Jackie, testified following the lunch break. She talked about growing up in a family where alcoholism and sexual abuse were common. Two of her siblings committed suicide.

She dropped out of school in the 10th grade because she became pregnant at the age of 15. She’s been married three times and admitted to marrying her second husband even though her daughter accused him of sexual abuse.

Jackie also talked about her daughter’s own abusive relationships, teenage pregnancy, and drug use. She said she took over Horner’s care at her daughter’s request because her daughter was battling drug addiction.

Jackie said both she and her daughter recognized that Horner was different than other children. Her daughter eventually took him to be tested.

“She was all on top of that because we knew there was something, something wasn’t connected,” she said.

She said after receiving a diagnosis of ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome, she felt relieved knowing what it was.

During the testimony, Horner’s grandmother talked about a specific instance when he was bullied during a wrestling match.

“Tanner was walking in front of me going to get a drink and some guy walked up next to him and just walked up to him and said, ‘Hey, you punk, you weirdo. What are you gonna do? You’re not going to.’ Just all kinds of put downs to him. And he didn’t know who I was and I said, “Why are you talking to him like that?’ He realized there was somebody with him. That just came out of nowhere,” she said.

“How did Tanner take it when these other kids started calling him names?” the defense asked?

“He’d say, ‘Oh, it’s okay, Mimi. I’m used to it,'” his grandmother replied.

She said she was proud when he graduated high school because he was the first person in their family to graduate.

Horner’s grandmother also described an incident when her third husband, Bill, used a stick like a baseball bat to hit Horner. He was about 25 years old at the time. She had to take him to the hospital for stitches after that.

“It was terrible,” she said. “It shocked Tanner. He couldn’t believe it.”

Despite that, she believes Horner still loved his pawpaw and was sad when he passed away.

She recalled Horner being excited to learn that he was expecting a son.

“He took good care of him,” she said. “It’s sad that, you know, he’ll never be the daddy that he wanted to be.”

When asked how all of this had affected her family, Jackie apologized to the Stand family.

“We think about you every day and I pray for you every day. I feel like there’s nothing I can say to make anything better. And I’m sure there’s not. I just want you to know that I have not forgotten you or your daughter. Every day, every day we think about her and you guys,” she said.

12 p.m. Lunch Break

The jury was dismissed for a one-hour lunch break.

11:15 a.m. Dr. Kim Spence

The defense called Dr. Kim Spence, an expert who works closely with people with autism, including training others in various professions to interact and understand those who are autistic.

She testified that people with autism often have trouble generalizing. So someone who may have learned a skill with intervention in school may have difficulty taking that skill and then applying it to a new environment after graduation.

She said she doesn’t agree with the assessment that was made to discontinue Horner’s disability services when he turned 18.

10:30 a.m. Dr. Eric Imhof

Dr. Eric Imhof, a forensic psychologist who studies autistic violent offenders, was the first witness to take the stand on Thursday. He traveled to Texas and spent three days evaluating Horner in jail. He confirmed Horner’s autism diagnosis, and also diagnosed him with PTSD, bipolar one disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.

Under cross-examination, Dr. Imhof talked about watching Horner’s abduction and interrogation videos. He said he saw some indications of anxiety. He also concluded that Horner’s alter ego, Zero, was not a real multiple personality.

The psychologist said Horner did not tell him he used cocaine on the day of the offense.

9 a.m. Delayed Start

Testimony on Thursday was not expected to begin until 10 or 10:30 a.m.

Athena Strand Murder: Tanner Horner Trial Recap 

Day 14: Killer’s psychiatrist faces tough questions during cross-examination

Horner’s psychiatrist returned to the stand for cross-examination. She admitted to prosecutors that he lied to her multiple times during their 18 hours together. She also admitted that Horner was the only person with knowledge of his most recent claim that he killed Athena because she witnessed him snorting cocaine. So, she has no proof that the claim isn’t another lie.

Dr. Ryan testified that Horner has autism, PTSD, severe depression, and ADHD, which she said impacted this thought process after the murder. Prosecutors argued back, saying Horner’s thought process didn’t falter when he was dumping Athena’s body and cleaning the FedEx truck after the crime to use it again the next day.

Other experts testified that Horner suffers from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and low testosterone.

Day 13: Psychiatrist explains why Tanner Horner said he killed Athena

Dr. Eileen Ryan testified about her psychiatric evaluation of Horner and his medical history. She talked about the many conditions he’s been diagnosed with.

The doctor said Horner also admitted to her what happened in the moments leading up to his decision to kill Athena. She said Horner told her he picked up Athena and put her in his truck because she saw him snorting cocaine.

“He immediately jumped to the conclusion that, that Athena saw him snorting cocaine. And so, she was going to tell and he was going to lose his job, which meant that he was not going to be able to support his son. He was going to lose his son. And that couldn’t happen. And he’s been sort of laser focused on his son for a long time. And his son was living with his fiancee’s mother and he had had limited contact with his son and was distraught over that,” she said.

The doctor said Horner eventually also told her about the sexual assault. She testified that he had difficulty talking about it because of his own rape.

“My opinion was that he was deeply ashamed and that was a major factor in his lying and hesitancy to talk about what had happened,” she said.

Dr. Ryan said Horner told her he didn’t decide to kill Athena until after she was in the truck.

“I think he just, he described it as it started, it snowballed into an avalanche. And he then, said that he knew he had to kill her. And he tried to make it, as he put it, as painless and quick as possible. So he tried to, as he put it, I think it was snap her neck. But it’s not like in the movies. And it wasn’t working, and so he attempted to strangle her, and he had a number of attempts to strangle her, which were unsuccessful,” the doctor said.

Day 12: Autism expert believes killer faked alter ego named Zero

The day’s most extensive testimony came from Dr. Amy Fritz, a speech-language pathologist who evaluated Horner in jail to analyze how autism impacts his social communication. Dr. Fritz testified that Horner suffers from significant difficulties with empathy and social appropriateness, noting his evaluation was one of the worst she had ever conducted. She also discussed his use of an alter ego named ‘Zero,’ which she described as a tool he used to tell the story of the crime rather than a symptom of multiple personality disorder.

Under a rigorous cross-examination, Dr. Fritz made several key concessions to prosecutors. She admitted that the violence captured in the abduction video was ‘shocking’ and ‘horrific,’ noting it was entirely incongruent with the man she had interviewed. She clarified that she was not suggesting Horner’s language disabilities caused the crime, nor was she claiming he was unable to distinguish right from wrong. While she interpreted a suicide note written by Horner as a sign of remorse, she agreed with prosecutors that the letter contained untruthful explanations and showed he was not fully accepting blame.

Day 11: Insights into Horner’s autism diagnosis

A speech pathologist from Azle ISD provided key testimony regarding Horner’s behavioral and social struggles in middle school. Having worked with him on pragmatic speech and behavior management 20 years ago, she described him as a child who struggled significantly with social cues, boundaries and changes to his routine.

“Beth” testified that Horner’s Asperger’s diagnosis made it difficult for him to adjust to the “out of the ordinary.” She noted he had trouble identifying others’ emotions and often could not differentiate between teasing and bullying.

Under intense questioning, Beth adamantly stated that Horner’s autism was not an excuse or a justification for the murder. However, she offered a pointed perspective, stating: “This young man should have never been in that truck by himself.”

Day 10: Defense focuses on childhood trauma and neurological health

The defense called several witnesses to testify about Horner’s difficult upbringing and physical health in an effort to avoid a death sentence. His paternal aunt described a family history plagued by drug abuse, specifically noting that Horner’s father was an addict who spent nearly 90% of his life in prison. While she detailed a childhood of “filth” and instability, prosecutors countered by highlighting that she had personally experienced similar hardships without ever turning to violence or crime.

The afternoon session pivoted to Horner’s educational history and his autism diagnosis. A retired school psychologist for Azle ISD testified that while Horner was bright enough to attend standard classes, his diagnosis required him to spend half the day in behavior improvement classes. She noted that while Horner struggled significantly with peer relationships and temper tantrums, school records from his three-year evaluation did not indicate a history of physical aggression.

Day 9: Horner’s mother testifies

Horner’s mother took the stand, though her face was not shown on the court’s camera feed. She provided a candid look at her son’s upbringing, admitting to a history of substance abuse involving heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol.

She testified that she was using “anything I could get my hands on” before realizing she was eight or nine weeks pregnant with Horner, at which point she said she attempted to stop.

The testimony turned emotional when the defense asked about the murder of the 7-year-old. “I’m so mad at him. I want to just tear his a– up,” she said through tears. “She was just a baby.”

Day 8: Audio Evidence of Athena Strand’s Final Moments Played for Jury

In the most harrowing day of the trial, jurors heard audio recorded inside Horner’s FedEx delivery van. The recording captured the child talking to Horner about her school and teacher before the situation turned violent. Several jurors wept as the room fell silent; Horner was observed looking away from the screen as the struggle began.

Day 7: Athena Strand’s Mother Testifies; DNA Evidence Linked to Tanner Horner

Maitlyn Gandy, Athena’s mother, testified about her final moments with her daughter, recalling a promise to see her that Friday for Christmas lights. Later, a Texas DPS forensic analyst testified that Horner’s DNA profile could not be excluded from samples collected in a sexual assault kit.

Day 6: Forensic Experts Detail DNA Evidence Found on Athena Strand’s Clothing

Forensic analysts testified that male DNA was detected on swabs from the child’s sexual assault kit and under her fingernails. While the defense questioned the precision of the DNA quantification, experts maintained that the presence of male DNA was significant.

Day 5: Medical Examiner Reveals Athena Strand’s Cause of Death; Jailhouse Letters Shown

Medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that Athena died from blunt force injuries, smothering, and strangulation, stating she believed the child suffered. The jury also reviewed letters Horner wrote in jail; one blamed a “mental breakdown,” while another claimed an unidentified man forced him to commit the crime.

Day 4: Jury Hears Testimony Regarding Tanner Horner’s ‘Zero’ Alter Ego

Jurors watched video of investigators questioning Horner about the location of the body. In the footage, Horner spoke as an alter ego he called “Zero,” claiming he found the situation “funny.” A Texas Ranger testified that Horner’s physical demeanor would change significantly when he allegedly switched personalities.

Day 3: Interrogation Video Shows Tanner Horner Negotiating for Christmas Release

Additional body camera footage showed Horner asking investigators to let him out of jail for a month to spend Christmas with his family in exchange for the location of the victim’s body.

Day 2: How Investigators Used ‘Zero’ Personality to Locate Athena Strand’s Body

Authorities testified that Horner initially led them to the wrong location. Investigators stated they were only able to locate the child after changing their interrogation tactics to address Horner directly as his alter ego, “Zero.”

Day 1: Tanner Horner Pleads Guilty to Capital Murder of Athena Strand

The trial began with Horner’s unexpected guilty plea to capital murder. Prosecutors described Athena as a “warrior” who fought her attacker, while the defense pivoted immediately to the sentencing phase, focusing on Horner’s mental health history.

Tanner Horner Trial Daily Recaps

Day 1 – Tanner Horner pleads guilty
Day 2 – Tanner Horner discusses alter ego ‘Zero’
Day 3 – Tanner Horner interrogation shown to jury
Day 4 – Investigators share details about FedEx ‘abduction van’
Day 5 – Phone calls with family members, ME testifies
Day 6 – Women accuse Tanner Horner of sexual assault
Day 7 – Athena Strand’s mother testifies
Day 8 – Audio evidence of Athena Strand’s final moments
Day 9 – Horner’s mother testifies
Day 10 – Medical experts, psychologists testify
Day 11 – Horner’s former teachers testify
Day 12 – Autism expert believes killer faked alter ego named Zero
Day 13 – Psychiatrist explains why Tanner Horner said he killed Athena
Day 14 – Killer’s psychiatrist faces tough questions during cross-examination

Athena Strand’s Death

Horner was charged with capital murder for the death of 7-year-old Athena Strand outside her family’s Wise County home on Nov. 30, 2022.

A contract delivery driver working for FedEx at the time, Horner was delivering what was meant to be a Christmas present for the young girl.

Horner told investigators he accidentally hit Athena with his van while delivering a package to her home. She reportedly survived, but Horner told authorities he panicked and kidnapped her, later strangling her to death.

Athena was reported missing, and eventually an Amber Alert was issued, leading to 72 hours of searching. She was found dead in Boyd, Texas, not far from her family’s home.

Athena Alert

After Athena Strand’s case, Texas Legislators passed a new bill that created a version of an Amber Alert known as the ‘Athena Alert.’

The new law allows authorities to issue an Amber Alert for a missing child that doesn’t have to meet all of the initial criteria.

Under the Athena Alert law, an Amber Alert can still go out even though authorities haven’t confirmed a missing child was kidnapped.

The alert would be able to be sent out to a 100-mile area around the disappearance and adjacent counties.

DPS emphasizes that this is not a new type of alert. All alert messages will still be referenced as an Amber Alert.