Justice for little Athena Strand: FedEx driver Tanner Horner may get DEATH PENALTY for 7-yr-old's murder
WISE COUNTY, TEXAS: Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver who was suspected of kidnapping and murdering seven-year-old Athena Strand in Texas, has been formally indicted with murder. Horner, 31, admitted that on November 20, 2022, he accidentally hit Athena with his truck.
Horner "panicked" and forced the little girl into the vehicle, fearing she would tell her parents, strangled her to death, and dumped her body beside a country road seven miles away from her home, as per Daily Mail. Her body was discovered on December 2.
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Will Tanner Horner get death penalty?
On Friday, February 7, a jury in Wise County formally charged him with kidnapping and murdering Athena. Police told prosecutors they want the death penalty for him, according to NBC5. If convicted, he could either face the death penalty or life in prison.
After the indictment, Athena's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, said in a statement, "I would like to thank the Wise County grand jury for their role in this process. Hearing the facts and circumstances of my 7-year-old daughter's kidnapping and murder was undoubtedly very difficult for them," as per Daily Mail.
She added, "I want them to know that their work is deeply appreciated." She further said, "Tanner Horner's indictment is the beginning of a long road through the justice system. I appreciate everyone's continued support and for keeping Athena's name and memory alive. Please take a moment to hug your children and loved ones. No one is promised another day."
'I support the death penalty'
Horner reportedly faces three additional counts of sexually abusing a child in Fort Worth back in 2013. "I support the death penalty. In any sentencing that may come," Gandy told WFAA. "Every breath he takes is one my daughter doesn't. If I could sit down in front of him, I would tell him that he is nothing, but that Athena is absolutely everything - and I will make sure that everybody in this world knows that he is nothing and that she is everything."
Gandy said she wished Horner and just let Athena walk and drive away instead. "We are very forgiving people," she said. "If Athena was not injured or even if she had a few bumps and scrapes, he could have just driven away. We could have forgiven him. Accidents do happen, but he chose to do more - and what he did was unforgivable. I have a hard time believing Athena couldn't have walked away. Athena could have just walked away, and I wish he would have let her."
'It's been rough for our family'
Gandy, who is grieving, is now looking after Athena's younger sister Rilyn. "'I triple-check my doors every night, and I hold my three-year-old tighter. I'm scared to let her go. Everything is just very, very scary and very, very sad," she said.
"It's been rough for our family. For my other three-year-old. She doesn't understand why she can't call her 'sissy' or why she hasn't come home yet. It's a long time for her to go without seeing her sister," she added. "We're coping. We're trying to function. It's been long. Hard but very chaotic at the same time. I'm sad. I'm angry. I'm confused. I am doing my best. I've been very scared, and I don't sleep very often or for an extended period of time. Noises at night scare me."
For the funeral service, Athena's body was placed in the casket, but Gandy brought home her daughter's cremated remains in an urn. She said the reason was she was "not anywhere close to letting my baby go."
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.