Athena Strand’s stepmother thought she was simply hiding when the 7-year-old disappeared from their home in rural Texas on November 30, 2022. Now, a former delivery driver has been sentenced to death after admitting to kidnapping young Athena and then killing her.
Tanner Horner pleaded guilty in a Tarrant County, Texas, courthouse on April 7 to aggravated kidnapping and capital murder in Strand’s death. On Tuesday, the punishment phase of Horner’s trial concluded, with jurors determining the admitted killer should receive the death penalty.
The trial lasted nearly a full month, with the court hearing testimony from members of both Strand’s and Horner’s families as well as viewing unsettling evidence. Here’s everything we know about Strand’s murder and what happens next for Horner.
Who Is Tanner Horner?
Horner was 31 at the time of his arrest, placing his current age around 34, according to NBC 5. Little is known about his early life.
According to police, Horner resided near Lake Worth, Texas, and didn’t appear to have any criminal history. He was an independent contractor working with FedEx as a delivery driver at the time of Strand’s disappearance and murder.
Horner’s attorney, Steven Goble, told jurors in court he suffered from “various mental illnesses throughout his life.” Goble also claimed Horner’s mother drank alcohol while she was pregnant with him, and that Horner was exposed to a “massive amount of lead” during his life.
Dr. Eileen Ryan, a professor of psychiatry and behavior health at Ohio State University, conducted a four-part evaluation of Horner. She testified during the trial Horner has been diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder, autism spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Ryan described Horner as a “severely compromised individual,” though reaffirmed these diagnoses didn’t prevent him from knowing right from wrong.
Still, the defense team argued these factors should contribute to a life sentence in prison for Horner, rather than the death penalty.
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