Tanner Horner, a 35-year-old former FedEx driver, is currently facing the sentencing phase of his trial for the 2022 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County, Texas. On April 7, 2026, Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping just as jury selection was concluding. This plea shifted the focus of the legal proceedings entirely to the punishment phase, where a jury must now decide between life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
Throughout the sentencing trial, prosecutors have presented harrowing evidence to demonstrate the depravity of the crime. Jurors were shown dashcam footage from Horner’s delivery truck and heard audio recordings where Athena can be heard asking, “Are you a kidnapper?” Testimony also revealed that after accidentally striking the child with his vehicle, Horner panicked and strangled her to prevent her from telling her father. Further evidence presented by the state indicated that the crime included a sexual assault, countering the defense’s characterization of the event as a sudden, panicked mistake.
The defense has focused its strategy on humanizing Horner to avoid a death sentence. They have called witnesses to testify about his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, his history of mental health issues, and a difficult childhood. Defense attorneys argue that these factors, combined with his lack of a prior violent criminal record, make a life sentence more appropriate than execution.
As of April 16, 2026, the prosecution has officially rested its case after eight days of emotional testimony from Athena’s family and law enforcement. The defense is now presenting its mitigating evidence, and a final verdict on Horner’s sentence is expected in the coming days.