Tanner Horner sentenced to death in murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand

15 hours ago 6

A Tarrant County assemblage sentenced Tanner Horner to decease successful the 2022 kidnapping and execution of 7-year-old Athena Strand connected Tuesday.

Horner pleaded guilty to the transgression conscionable moments earlier his proceedings began past month. The justice ordered that the proceedings modulation into the sentencing phase, successful which the assemblage had been proceeding affectional testimony, watching and listening to graphic video and audio of Strand's past moments arsenic prosecutors made their lawsuit for the decease penalty.

Among heart-wrenching testimony, the assemblage heard testimony from both of Strand's parents.

After prosecutors wrapped their case, the defence presented its lawsuit successful an effort to support Horner from being executed. They called numerous expert witnesses to attest astir Horner's intelligence wellness and aesculapian history. Horner's parent and grandmother besides took to the basal to talk connected his childhood.

The defence rested its lawsuit connected Monday.

In closing arguments connected Tuesday morning, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton told jurors that the lone conscionable result of the proceedings is the decease penalty. Horner's defence attorneys argued that helium should beryllium sentenced to beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole.

The assemblage deliberated for implicit 2 hours earlier returning its verdict.

After the justice work the verdict, helium said Horner would stay successful the Tarrant County jailhouse until he's transported to the Texas Department of Corrections successful Huntsville.

Athena's uncle shares interaction statement

Elijah Strand, whose member is Athena Strand's father, stood to work an affectional interaction connection connected behalf of the family. As tears began to watercourse down his face, helium told the courtroom, "There are nary words that genuinely seizure the devastation that Tanner Horner caused us."

He said Horner not lone took a girl from this world, but a granddaughter, sister, niece, relative and friend.

"She had dreams she volition ne'er get to chase, she'll person birthdays that she volition ne'er celebrate, a beingness she volition ne'er get to live, due to the fact that of his actions," Elijah Strand said arsenic helium pointed to Horner.

He said Horner stole a consciousness of information from his household and that they had been frightened to fto their children play outside.

"He's robbed of america safety, bid and our spot successful the satellite and everlastingly changed who we are arsenic a family," Elijah Strand said arsenic Horner stared backmost astatine him.

Then, Elijah Strand had a nonstop connection for Horner: "You did not conscionable instrumentality a life; you destroyed a family. You took a small miss who trusted the satellite and repaid that innocence with violence. You chose to origin symptom that volition past generations. You accidental you recovered God, but what you did to Athena stands successful nonstop absorption of everything you assertion to believe," helium said.

Elijah Strand ended the interaction connection by quoting a scripture, and told Horner helium would beryllium judged.

"You volition look the wrath of God," Elijah Strand continued. "I privation you to cognize you are a footnote successful Athena's story. Her sanction volition everlastingly beryllium remembered. Her sanction volition beryllium everlastingly celebrated, and everyone volition hide you."

LIVE: Jury sentences Tanner Horner to decease for the execution of Athena Strand by CBS TEXAS on YouTube

The execution of Athena Strand

According to an apprehension affidavit, Horner was moving arsenic a FedEx transportation operator when, connected Nov. 30, 2022, helium went to Strand's location to present a bundle containing a Christmas gift. Investigators said Horner accidentally struck the kid with his transportation motortruck portion backing retired of the driveway.

Authorities said Horner told investigators that Athena Strand did not look earnestly injured, but said helium panicked, placed her into his van and strangled her retired of fearfulness that she would archer her begetter what had happened.

Horner was yet tracked down done integer evidence.

Two days later, Athena Strand's assemblage was recovered astir 9 miles distant from her home, southeast of Boyd.

In: