🔴LIVE: Tanner Horner capital murder trial | FOX 4 News
April 22, 2026
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5:46:01Now Playing🔴LIVE: Tanner Horner capital murder trial | FOX 4 News
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as posted by the channelThe sentencing phase for Tanner Horner is set to resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday as defense attorneys begin calling expert witnesses in an effort to spare his life.
Horner has pleaded guilty to capital murder and kidnapping in the 2022 death of 7-year-old Athena Strand. Horner admitted to abducting the child while delivering a package to her Wise County home on Nov. 30, 2022. The jury must now determine if Horner will be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
After a two-day break, the defense will now present its evidence.
During opening statements, defense counsel indicated they would present testimony regarding Horner’s diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (formerly referred to as Asperger’s syndrome) and other mental illnesses. They also intend to introduce evidence of fetal alcohol exposure and childhood lead exposure as mitigating factors.
The prosecution rested its case Thursday after presenting harrowing evidence of the child's final moments. Since the trial paused, Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, announced the launch of a nonprofit, "Athena Strand’s Army by Mommy," aimed at advocate for nationwide changes to Amber Alert requirements.
The trial began with Horner’s unexpected guilty plea to capital murder. Prosecutors described Athena as a "warrior" who fought her attacker, while the defense pivoted immediately to the sentencing phase, focusing on Horner’s mental health history.
Horner was charged with capital murder for the death of 7-year-old Athena Strand outside her family’s Wise County home on Nov. 30, 2022.
A contract delivery driver working for FedEx at the time, Horner was delivering what was meant to be a Christmas present for the young girl.
Horner told investigators he accidentally hit Athena with his van while delivering a package to her home. She reportedly survived, but Horner told authorities he panicked and kidnapped her, later strangling her to death.
Athena was reported missing, and eventually an Amber Alert was issued, leading to 72 hours of searching. She was found dead in Boyd, Texas, not far from her family's home.
After Athena Strand's case, Texas Legislators passed a new bill that created a version of an Amber Alert known as the ‘Athena Alert.’
The new law allows authorities to issue an Amber Alert for a missing child that doesn’t have to meet all of the initial criteria.
Under the Athena Alert law, an Amber Alert can still go out even though authorities haven’t confirmed a missing child was kidnapped.
The alert would be able to be sent out to a 100-mile area around the disappearance and adjacent counties.
DPS emphasizes that this is not a new type of alert. All alert messages will still be referenced as an Amber Alert.
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