Live updates: Tanner Horner’s defense begins case in Athena Strand murder trial Day 9
Defense attorneys have begun presenting their case Wednesday morning in the trial of Tanner Horner, who has pleaded guilty to killing 7-year-old Athena Strand.
Horner’s mother may be one of the first witnesses as the defense tries to convince the jury that Horner should be sentenced to life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty. The defense case also will include testimony from psychiatric experts.
At the start of the prosecution’s case on April 7, Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder in the course of kidnapping. The jury will decide his punishment.
The former FedEx driver abducted and killed Athena on Nov. 30, 2022, after delivering a package to her rural Wise County home. Horner told a false story about hitting the little girl with his van and then strangling her in a panic, according to testimony of the case’s lead investigator, Texas Ranger Job Espinoza. Investigators believe Horner planned to kidnap and murder Athena.
Last Thursday, the prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments inside the FedEx van.
In interviews with investigators, Horner blamed an alter ego called “Zero” for the girl’s death.
The trial is being held at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth and is expected to continue into early May.
Watch live video of the trial here with analysis from WFAA-TV, and follow Star-Telegram.com for updates.
9 a.m. Psychology professor testifies
Dr. John Edens, a professor of psychology at Texas A&M University is testifying.
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 8:09 AM.
