Live updates: Tanner Horner’s defense case in Athena Strand murder trial Day 13
Defense attorneys continue presenting their case Tuesday in the trial of Tanner Horner, who has pleaded guilty to killing 7-year-old Athena Strand.
Horner’s mother was one of the first defense witnesses to testify last week as Horner’s lawyers try to convince the jury that he should be sentenced to life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty. Witnesses have focused on Horner’s childhood, including discussion of autism, and lead exposure after he ate coins as a toddler.
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.
The prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments after Horner lured her inside the FedEx van. She died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation, and Horner dumped her naked body in the water along the Trinity River. Horner could not be excluded as the source of male DNA found on swabs in the victim’s sexual assault kit, a DNA analyst testified.
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 next week.
Watch live video of the trial here with analysis from WFAA-TV, and follow Star-Telegram.com for updates.
9:15 a.m. Mother of childhood friend testifies
Michelle, a neighbor of the Horner family whose son grew up with Tanner, testified about his upbringing and bullying he faced as a child.
This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 8:28 AM.
