Tanner Horner death penalty trial hears interrogation footage in Athena Strand murder case in Texas

Jurors were shown interrogation footage in which Tanner Horner described disposing of Athena Strand’s body after abducting the seven-year-old from her Texas home. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Jurors weighing whether former FedEx driver Tanner Horner should be sentenced to death have been shown interrogation footage and detailed evidence about the killing of seven-year-old Athena Strand in Texas.

The video presented in court captured Horner speaking with investigators about the missing child’s whereabouts after police searched his home.

“I can show you,” Horner told investigators.

When officers asked if Athena was still alive, Horner replied, “She wasn’t alive when I put her in the truck.”

After search efforts failed to locate her, Horner later told police he had “Just kind of tossed her in” a wooded area.

Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder earlier this week. Prosecutors told jurors the evidence would demonstrate the killing was intentional and involved efforts to conceal the crime.

In opening statements, prosecutor James Stainton argued Horner gave inconsistent accounts to investigators as part of what he described as a deliberate attempt to obscure what had happened, Fox News reported.

“First thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up, puts her in that truck, leans down, and he says, ‘Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you’,” Mr Stainton told the court.

“I’m going to tell you right now. One thing you’re going to hear that is something you can’t unhear is the level of fight that a 7-year-old girl has. When she’s facing down a certain death.”

“We talk about warrior in America,” he said.

“I’ll tell you that little girl right there is a warrior. She fought with the strength of 100 men.”

Mr Stainton told jurors Horner’s shifting explanations formed part of a broader “pattern and web of lies,” arguing the only consistent admission was his acknowledgement that he killed the child.

Prosecutors said the evidence would show Horner attempted to hide his actions, including covering a camera, before continuing his delivery route as authorities and community members searched for Athena.

The court also heard the prosecution intends to present forensic evidence as part of its case, Fox News shared.

Defence attorney Lindsay Thompson told jurors Horner had experienced neurological and developmental challenges, including brain injury, autism, mental illness and exposure to lead.

She argued those factors should be considered when jurors determine whether Horner poses a continuing threat to society and whether a sentence of life imprisonment without parole would be appropriate.

Ms Thompson also told jurors Horner had accepted responsibility by pleading guilty.

Athena disappeared in November 2022 from her father’s property in Paradise, a town northwest of Fort Worth, after Horner delivered a package containing Barbie dolls intended as a Christmas gift.

Horner admitted in court that he accidentally hit the young girl while making a delivery before placing her inside his vehicle rather than calling for help, according to reports, which added Horner feared the child would tell her father what happened.

Her body was later located less than 10 miles from the home following a large-scale search involving law enforcement officers, volunteers and specialist teams.

Jurors must now determine whether Horner will be sentenced to death or spend the rest of his life in prison without parole.

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