Tanner Horner pleaded guilty Tuesday in the capital murder case tied to Athena Strand, admitting in a Tarrant County courthouse that he killed the 7-year-old before opening statements could begin. The punishment phase of the trial is expected to start immediately, and Horner still faces the possibility of a death sentence.
Horner, 35, had been charged with capital murder of a person under the age of 10 and aggravated kidnapping in the death of Strand, who was killed at her family’s Wise County home on Nov. 30, 2022. He was working as a contract delivery driver for FedEx at the time and was delivering what was meant to be a Christmas present for the child.
Authorities have said Horner told investigators he accidentally hit Strand with his van while dropping off a package at her home. They said Strand apparently survived the collision, but Horner panicked, abducted her and strangled her to death. Wise County Sheriff’s investigators later described the crime as abducting the girl, and searchers spent 72 hours looking for her after she was reported missing and an Amber Alert was issued.
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Strand was found dead in Boyd, Texas, not far from her family’s home. Her death drew intense attention across Wise County, which is why defense lawyers pushed to move the trial to Tarrant County, arguing Horner could not get a fair hearing there because of the extensive media coverage.
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Horner had initially pleaded not guilty to both charges, and his lawyers also asked for the death penalty to be taken off the table because he has autism. Tuesday’s guilty plea removed the question of guilt from the case and shifted the focus to punishment, where prosecutors are still seeking death. For Strand’s family, the case now turns to whether the court will make that final decision without another round of testimony about what happened on the day she disappeared.
