Tanner Horner’s defense attorneys are seeking a new trial
Tanner Horner given death penalty after four week trial
After just a few hours of deliberation, jurors sentenced Tanner Horner to death for the murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County in 2022.
WISE COUNTY, Texas - Defense attorneys have requested a new trial for Tanner Horner, the former delivery driver sentenced to death for the murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County.
Tanner Horner Trial
Tanner Horner
What's next:
Attorneys claim some key witnesses refused to testify because of the media coverage of the trial. They said it made it impossible for Horner to get a fair trial.
A judge agreed to move Horner’s initial trial to Tarrant County because of the attention the case had gathered on social media.
The Wise County District Attorney and state prosecutor requested the motion be denied, saying there is no rule barring media coverage of court cases.
What's next:
A judge is expected to rule on the request in the next few days.
Big picture view:
Horner’s attorneys have also filed an appeal with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
By law, all death penalty cases in Texas are reviewed by the state’s highest criminal court.
Sentenced to Death
Tanner Horner sentenced to death penalty for murdering Athena Strand
A Tarrant County jury has sentenced Tanner Horner to the death penalty for the murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.
What we know:
It took jurors less than three hours to sentence Horner to death in May for Athena’s kidnapping and murder. He showed no emotion as he stood listening to the sentence.
There were two special questions the jury faced. First, do you consider Horner to be a continuing threat to society? Their unanimous answer was yes. Second, are there mitigating circumstances that should exclude Horner from receiving the death penalty? That answer was no.
Athena Strand's Death
The backstory:
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 little 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.
Horner pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to kidnapping Athena from her Wise County driveway and then strangling her to death.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Horner sexually assaulted her in the back of his delivery van before dumping her body in the Trinity River.
During closing arguments, the defense tried to convince the jury to spare Horner’s life based on claims that he would not be a danger to society while in prison for life and because of mitigating factors such as his difficult upbringing, stress at home and an autism diagnosis.
The prosecution reminded them that he showed Athena no mercy.
Athena Strand's mother testifies | FULL
Maitlyn Gandy, Athena Strand's mother, gives emotional testimony about her last days with her daughter and the reason she has attended every single court hearing related to the case.
After the verdict, Athena’s uncle delivered a message directly to her killer.
"I want you to know that you are nothing. You are a footnote in Athena's story. Her name will forever be celebrated and everyone will forget you," Elijah Strand said.
The Source: The information in this story comes from court filings and attorney statements, plus past news coverage of Tanner Horner's trial.