Former FedEx driver pleads guilty to kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Athena Strand

(April 8, 2026)  A former FedEx delivery driver has pleaded guilty to the 2022 kidnapping and killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand, bringing a sudden and unexpected turn to a closely watched Texas murder trial – just as proceedings began this week.

Tanner Horner, 31, entered guilty pleas to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping on April 7 in a Tarrant County courtroom, after previously maintaining his innocence. The case had been moved from Wise County to Fort Worth to ensure a fair trial amid intense public attention.

NEW: FedEx driver who is accused of abducting and strangling a seven-year-old girl, puts his face in his hand as a photo is displayed of him driving her to her death.

7-year-old Athena Strand was seen standing behind Tanner Horner in his FedEx truck.

Athena was allegedly… pic.twitter.com/MMTupcjf3o

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 7, 2026

The charges against Horner stem from the disappearance and death of Athena Strand in November 2022 in the rural town of Paradise, near Fort Worth. Authorities say Horner was delivering a package — later identified as a Christmas gift — to the child’s home when he encountered Athena.

Horner initially told investigators he accidentally struck the girl with his delivery van and panicked. He admitted to placing her in the vehicle and strangling her out of fear she would report what happened. However, prosecutors have sharply disputed that account, arguing evidence shows Athena was not seriously injured when she was taken and accusing Horner of weaving “a web of lies.”

Investigators later found the child’s body days after she was reported missing, dumped miles from her home. Evidence presented in court includes video, DNA findings, and testimony describing the moments leading up to her death.

Despite Horner’s guilty plea, the case is far from over. Jurors are now hearing graphic evidence and emotional testimony as they weigh whether he should be sentenced to death or spend the rest of his life in prison. Defense attorneys have pointed to Horner’s autism diagnosis and mental health history in arguing against the death penalty.

The sentencing phase of the trial continues this week, with a Tarrant County jury expected to ultimately decide whether Tanner Horner will face execution or life imprisonment without parole. For more on Tanner Horner pleading guilty yesterday to killing 7-year-old Athena Strand, see the video below.

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(Sources: US Weekly, AP News, Dallas Observer, CNN, MSN, CBS Texas)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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