FedEx Driver Abducts and Murders 7-Year-Old While Delivering Christmas Packages

Tanner Horner Indicted on Capital Murder Charges

Tanner Lynn Horner, a FedEx driver, who confessed to police he murdered a 7-year-old girl in November 2022 pled not guilty Monday during his capital murder arraignment hearing.

Initially, Tanner Horner, 31, confessed to the police that he accidentally hit 7-year-old Athena Strand with his delivery truck while backing up.  Less than 200 yards away from the front door of Athena’s childhood home, Horner panicked, picked up Athena, and tossed her into his van. Athena was not seriously injured and began talking to Horner. She stated that she was going to “tell her father” about the incident. This statement magnified Horner’s anxiety, so he tried to break her neck to no avail. He then strangled her with his bare hands until she could no longer draw another breath of air.

Horner cooperated with law enforcement and led them to the body of Athena Strand just two days after her abduction.  His confession, digital evidence and interviews led to the conclusion that he murdered Athena within an hour after he abducted her.

Horner sat quietly in the Wise County Center Courtroom as the prosecutor announced that they will be seeking the death penalty. He will remain in the Wise County Jail with six bonds totaling $1,560,000.  In addition to the charges for murdering Athena, he is also being held on four charges of sexual assault of a child as far back as 2013.

No other court dates have been set in the case.