Jurors deliberating what punishment child killer Tanner Horner should inevitably receive were seen sobbing inside a Texas courtroom on Thursday, April 16, as the state presented video and audio evidence of little Athena Strand screaming and sobbing as she was being murdered by the FedEx driver.
Heartbreaking security footage from inside Horner’s work truck also showed the 34-year-old killer cleaning up his delivery truck after Athena’s brutal murder. The footage also showed Horner sifting through the 7-year-old slain girl’s backpack and talking his way through a checkpoint that had been set up soon after Athena’s abduction.
Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping on April 7, just as his criminal trial was set to start. Horner kidnapped Athena from her Paradise, Texas, driveway on November 30, 2022, after he’d delivered a package to her mom’s home stuffed with Christmas presents for her.
Strand’s naked body was found two days after she was kidnapped in a nearby river.
Since entering his guilty pleas, jurors have been reviewing evidence as they mull his sentence: death or life imprisonment.
Prior to the footage being shown on Thursday, Judge George Gallagher warned the courtroom that “If you think you cannot watch it or listen to it, leave now, WFAA reported.
The state showed footage of Horner pulling up to the house and walking back to the truck with the girl. He opened the door and lifted her into the truck.
“Are you a kidnapper?” asked Athena, seemingly realizing she might be in danger, NBC DFW reports. “Where are you taking me?”
Athena was told by Horner to sit down and not to scream, or he’d hurt her, according to NBC DFW.
Horner then covered up the security camera’s lens, leaving only audio of the kidnapping and murder. At one point, Horner told the 7-year-old, “You’re really pretty, you know that?” Later, audio was played of the killer ordering her to undress, and her asking for her mother in response.
The jurors started breaking down as the girl’s screams could be heard as well as loud, indistinct banging coming from the back of the delivery truck.
Understandably, several of the girl’s relatives excused themselves during this portion of the penalty phase.
Prosecutors have accused Horner of lying about striking Athena with his FedEx truck and then strangling her to avoid arrest.
Horner was indicted in February 2023 on charges of aggravated kidnapping and capital murder in connection with Athena’s death.
