A black-and-white picture exhibits Athena Strand within the supply van along with her killer, FedEx driver Tanner Horner, who has now admitted to her homicide and kidnapping.
Horner seized Athena after finishing a Christmas supply (Picture: -)
This chilling {photograph} captures the ultimate moments of a seven yr outdated woman as she was pushed to her loss of life by a FedEx supply driver.
Tanner Horner kidnapped and murdered Athena Strand following a Christmas parcel supply to her residence. A court docket heard that Horner, 34, instructed authorities he by accident struck Athena along with his van earlier than strangling her in a panic, although he had initially denied the killing.
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Nonetheless, Horner admitted to capital homicide and aggravated kidnapping on Tuesday earlier than his trial might start, prompting prosecutors to launch this devastating picture captured on the day of the younger woman’s loss of life. The black-and-white {photograph} exhibits Athena sitting within the van whereas Horner focuses on the highway forward, close to Fort Value, Texas.
She was subsequently strangled, and her physique was found two days later roughly seven miles from her residence, alongside a rural highway. Horner now faces both the loss of life penalty or life imprisonment.
Horner seized Athena after finishing a Christmas supply whereas working for FedEx contractor. He instructed investigators that he by accident struck the woman along with his truck, “panicked,” grabbed her, and bundled her into his car.
Fearing the implications of confessing to Athena’s mother and father, he admitted to strangling her contained in the truck earlier than dumping her physique close by.
Nonetheless, a newly emerged {photograph} – captured from footage contained in the supply lorry – seems to have shattered the killer’s assertion that he struck the woman by chance earlier than unwittingly driving away along with her physique.
Throughout opening statements, Sensible County District Lawyer James Stainton declared: “The one truthful factor that Tanner Horner instructed legislation enforcement was that he killed her.
“The sample and internet of traces that he put collectively, it may be laborious for ya’ll to maintain up with. It’s lie upon lie upon lie upon lie.”
This chilling {photograph} captures the ultimate moments of a seven yr outdated woman as she was pushed to her loss of life (Picture: WFAA)
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, instructed investigators that Athena Strand wasn’t critically harm after he hit her whereas backing up (Picture: -)
“The very first thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up and places her in that truck, he leans down and he says: ‘Do not scream or I will harm you.’ He says that twice.”
The Texas case has now progressed to the punishment section, whereby a jury should decide whether or not he receives the loss of life penalty or life imprisonment with out the potential for parole.
Addressing the jury, State District Decide George Gallagher said: “Now your sole obligation can be to hearken to all the proof that’s going to be introduced to you, as a result of you’ll be utilizing that proof to find out the correct punishment to be assessed.”
Horner was taken into custody on December 2, 2022, the exact same day Strand’s physique was found. He allegedly admitted to officers that he kidnapped the kid throughout a supply to her household’s residence.
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