‘You will face the wrath of God’: Tanner Horner sentenced to death for Athena Strand’s murder
Posted at 4:14 PM, May 5, 2026
FORT WORTH, Texas (Court TV) — The man who confessed to killing 7-year-old Athena Strand will face the ultimate punishment after a jury sentenced him to death.
Tanner Horner is led out of court after his sentencing. (Court TV)
Tanner Lynn Horner, 35, pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and capital murder in Athena’s case as his trial was scheduled to begin. The case moved forward and the jury was tasked with determining Horner’s punishment — whether that be life behind bars or the death penalty.
Jurors heard 16 days of evidence before taking less than three hours to deliver their verdict. They unanimously found there was a probability that Horner would commit further acts of violence, constituting a continuing threat; they also unanimously found there were no mitigating circumstances that would save the defendant’s life.
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Athena was playing outside of her home when she was abducted on Nov. 30, 2022. Horner, who was working as a third-party contractor delivering FedEx packages, admitted to abducting the child but told detectives several stories that were proven false. Horner initially claimed that he hit Athena with the van and panicked; during closing arguments on Tuesday, Horner’s attorneys suggested that Athena had caught him snorting cocaine in the truck, prompting his panic.
A still from surveillance video shows Athena Strand inside a FedEx van with Tanner Horner. (Court Exhibit)
During the trial, prosecutors showed the jury disturbing evidence, including a photo showing Athena inside the van before her murder. While investigators say he ultimately covered the van’s camera before Athena was killed, the vehicle’s microphone picked up everything. “He said, ‘You’re pretty. Take off your shirt. Take off your clothes,’” prosecutors reminded jurors during their closing argument. Horner was not charged with sexual assault, but prosecutors presented evidence that his DNA was found in the child’s underwear along with the incriminating audio from inside the van.
Horner’s defense had emphasized his difficult childhood and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in their bid to save his life. In their closing, prosecutors dismissed that argument. “Thousands of people in the world have disabilities. Thousands of people in the world are autistic,” he said. “And they get up every day. They live their life. They work, they have families, they struggle, they succeed and they fail. But the one thing they never do is use it as a crutch.”
After the verdict was announced, Athena’s uncle, Elijah Strand, addressed the defendant. “You will be judged. You will face the wrath of God,” he said. “You are nothing. You are a footnote in Athena’s story. Her name will forever be remembered. Her name will forever be celebrated and everyone will forget you.”
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Horner confirmed to the judge that he would like an appellate attorney to be appointed to represent him.
“He’s your prisoner, Sheriff,” Judge George Gallagher said before the defendant was led out of the courtroom.
