Tanner Horner Trial Day 5: Jurors learn about Horner’s background and mental state

Adam FullertonFORT WORTH, Texas –

The punishment phase in the trial of Tanner Horner enters its second week Monday, as a jury decides whether the former delivery driver will face the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Horner pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He admitted to kidnapping 7-year-old Athena Strand while delivering a package to her home on Nov. 30, 2022, and later strangling her.

FOX 4 will have gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial on FOX LOCAL.

Live Updates

10:40 a.m. Medical examiner testifies

Dr. Jessica Dwyer, the medical examiner who performed Athena’s autopsy, took the stand. She testified about collecting DNA evidence from fingernail clippings and a sexual activity kit.

She said Athena’s body had trauma to the head, face, neck, chest, and back. She did not appear to have any sexual trauma.

9:45 a.m. FBI investigator testifies

FBI Agent David Rogers took the stand. He was part of the team that searched Horner’s van, as well as the scene where Athena’s body was found. He testified about efforts to recover her body from the water and then photograph evidence.

9:10 a.m. Suicide letters

Jurors were shown letters that Horner allegedly wrote to Athena’s family and his own family before a suicide attempt in 2023.

Tanner Horner Trial Week 2 Expectations

On Monday morning, the jury is expected to hear testimony from a Wise County crime scene investigator. The testimony could detail several handwritten letters Horner wrote while in jail before a suicide attempt in 2023.

Experts suggest the focus of the trial will now shift from Horner’s actions to his background and mental state. During the punishment phase, Horner’s mental health is expected to be a central point of discussion.

Tanner Horner Trial Week 1 Recap

The first week of the punishment phase was dominated by hours of police body camera and interrogation footage. On Thursday, jurors watched video of investigators questioning Horner about the location of the girl’s body. Horner, speaking as his alter ego, said he dumped the child’s clothes along the highway because he “thought it was funny.”

Horner previously told police he did not kill Strand, instead blaming an alter ego he called “Zero.” A sergeant with the Texas Rangers testified that he obtained more information about the crime by questioning “Zero” directly. The sergeant noted that Horner would roll his eyes back before switching personalities, displaying a marked change in his physical demeanor.

The jury was also shown photos of Horner’s residence and the locations where the clothing was recovered. In another interview shown to the court, Horner asked investigators to release him from jail for one month so he could spend Christmas with his family, promising to “tell everything” if they agreed.

Day 1 – Tanner Horner pleads guilty
Day 2 – Tanner Horner discusses alter ego ‘Zero’
Day 3 – Tanner Horner interrogation shown to jury
Day 4 – Investigators share details about FedEx ‘abduction van’

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 young girl.

Package meant for Athena Strand

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.

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Athena Alert

Athena Strand (Courtesy: Maitlyn Gandy)

The Impact:

After Athena Strand’s case, Texas Legislators passed a new bill that created a version of an Amber Alert known as the ‘Athena Alert.’

The new law allows authorities to issue an Amber Alert for a missing child that doesn’t have to meet all of the initial criteria.

Under the Athena Alert law, an Amber Alert can still go out even though authorities haven’t confirmed a missing child was kidnapped.

The alert would be able to be sent out to a 100-mile area around the disappearance and adjacent counties.

DPS emphasizes that this is not a new type of alert. All alert messages will still be referenced as an Amber Alert.