Texas ex-FedEx driver receives death penalty for 2022 murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand

A former FedEx driver, Tanner Horner, was sentenced to death for the 2022 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Paradise, Texas. Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder as his trial began, and jurors heard audio from inside his delivery van showing Athena’s final moments. The case found he would be a continuing threat to society, rejecting a life-without-parole sentence. Athena died from blunt force injuries with smothering/strangulation after being taken during a Christmas delivery; the defense argued factors like pregnancy-related issues, autism, and lead exposure, but the jury upheld the death penalty.