Wise County DA Set To Seek Death Penalty Against Tanner Horner, Suspect In Athena Strand’s Killing
The Wise County Sheriff noted that the district attorney will seek the death penalty against Tanner Horner, the suspect said to have killed Athena Strand as he worked as a FedEx driver.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Lane Akin stated that DA James Stainton will look for a death sentence against Horner who was charged in the November 2022 killing of the 7-year-old girl from Paradise, Texas.
On Feb. 16, 2023, Horner was indicted on capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges. The 31-year-old is said to have taken and killed Athena on Nov. 30, 2022. Strand’s body was discovered on Dec. 2.
Authorities say that Horner unintentionally struck Athena with his truck while he was backing up and delivering a package to her home. Horner told investigators that Athena wasn’t seriously injured, but he panicked and placed her in the vehicle.
He then told police several times that he strangled the girl because she was going to tell her dad that he had struck her with his FedEx truck
Horner remains in the Wise County Jail on a $1.5 million bond.
Strand’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against FedEx, the contracting business Big Topspin, and Horner, on Tuesday.
