Tanner Horner is on trial after the former FedEx driver admitted to killing 7-year-old Texas girl, Athena Strand, after a delivery at her home. In the course of the hearing, audio was presented in front of the jury on Thursday, where Horner could be heard making threats to ‘hurt’ Strand if she tried to pull anything over him.
The disturbing nature of the clip prompted Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to call for Horner’s immediate execution.
“Execute him immediately,” Musk wrote in reply to a post which detailed the day in court. “During the trial today, jurors broke down in tears after audio footage was played of Horner killing Athena after he told her to take off her shirt and said she was ‘really pretty.’ Athena repeatedly asked for her mother.” the post read. Citing NBC, it said “Horner is then heard asking Athena to remove her shirt, and there are several moments when she says “no” and asks for her mom. That was followed by repeated sounds of crying, screaming and banging.”
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“Jurors were also shown footage (below) of Horner being stopped while trying to deliver packages. He was told by a woman that the road was blocked off because a “seven-year-old kid” had been kidnapped. “Are you serious?” Horner said,” the post further continued.
Horner faces the death penalty or life behind bars for his crime. He was charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. Strand was killed in 2022, and her body was found two days after she was reported missing in Paradise, the rural town near Fort Worth. Here’s all you need to know about Tanner Horner.
Tanner Horner: 5 things to know
- Horner was 31 at the time of his arrest which would make him about 34 now. Not much is known about his early life.
- As per reports, Horner lived near Lake Worth, Texas. He does not appear to have a criminal record.
- Horner was working as an independent contractor with FedEx at the time of Strand’s disappearance and murder.
- Horner’s attorney Steven Goble told the court that he suffered from ‘various mental illnesses throughout his life’. The lawyer also claimed that Horner’s mother drank alcohol while pregnant, and that the accused was exposed to a ‘massive amount of lead’ throughout his life. Texas Ranger Sgt. Job Espinoza also testified that Horner often referenced an alternate identity of his, called ‘Zero’. “His demeanor, physical demeanor changes,” the cop said.
- Horner had a girlfriend, who he called from prison. He would also call his mother and grandmother. Horner reportedly has a son, Chester. Calls from Horner, which were played in court also indicated that his girlfriend’s name was Cassie.
Horner could be heard lamenting that he would never see his son again, after the crime. Horner had delivered a Christmas gift meant for Strand, who was staying with her father Jacob, and stepmother, Ashley, at the time. Prosecutors believe he strangled her with his hands, once he’d put Strand in the vehicle, killing her. He is then believed to have disposed her body into the Trinity River.
Horner’s DNA was also found on Strand’s rape kit, which came to light during the trial. He claimed that he did not have a motive to kill Strand but had panicked when he hit her with his van. However, this was found to be untrue since Strand was seen sitting inside the van, looking fine, contradicting Tanner’s account of having hit her with the vehicle by accident.
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