A Texas jury began deliberations Tuesday in the capital murder trial of Tanner Horner, a former delivery driver accused of kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl in late 2022.
Background
Athena Strand was reported missing from her home in Paradise, Texas, on December 2, 2022. The girl was last seen that afternoon when she went outside to retrieve a package delivered to her family's residence. Law enforcement launched an extensive search operation that spanned multiple days and involved federal, state, and local agencies.
Investigators later determined that the delivery driver who dropped off the package at the Strand residence was the last person to see Athena alive. Authorities identified Tanner Horner, who was employed by a delivery service at the time, as a person of interest and subsequently obtained evidence linking him to the crime.
Horner was arrested in December 2022, days after Athena's disappearance. Her body was discovered in a rural area approximately 30 miles from her home. The investigation revealed that Horner allegedly abducted the child in his delivery vehicle shortly after making the package drop.
The Charges
Horner is charged with capital murder in connection with Athena Strand's death. Under Texas law, capital murder carries a sentence of life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. The prosecution has presented evidence including cell phone tower data, vehicle GPS records, and witness testimony during the trial that began earlier this week.
The defense has contested certain pieces of evidence, arguing procedural issues in how law enforcement obtained some of the technical records. The defense has not disputed that Horner was the delivery driver who delivered the package to the Strand residence.
Key Takeaways
- Tanner Horner, a former delivery driver, faces capital murder charges in the death of 7-year-old Athena Strand
- The girl was reported missing December 2, 2022, from her home in Paradise, Texas
- Horner was arrested days after Athena's disappearance; her body was found in a rural area nearby
- The prosecution has presented cell phone, GPS, and other digital evidence linking Horner to the crime
- Texas capital murder carries either life without parole or the death penalty
What's Next
The jury is expected to continue deliberations Wednesday. If convicted of capital murder, Horner will face a separate sentencing phase where prosecutors will present aggravating factors to argue for the death penalty. The defense will have the opportunity to present mitigating circumstances. A verdict could come as early as Wednesday afternoon.
The case has drawn significant attention in Texas and beyond, with the victim's family attending nearly every day of the trial. The murder of the young girl while she was simply retrieving a package from her own front yard resonated with communities across the country.
The trial is being held in a Texas district court. The judge has set aside additional time for deliberations given the complexity of the evidence presented over several days of testimony.