Tanner Horner’s former teacher on the autism excuse

A retired speech pathologist who worked with Tanner Horner while he was in the seventh grade in Azle ISD testified on Friday about how autism affected him. Defense attorneys asked her if she thought it was the reason or an excuse for him kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Athena Strand.

What to Know About Tanner Horner’s Family Amid His Trial for the Murder of Athena Strand

Tanner Horner’s mom and great-aunt testified at his trial in April 2026

Tanner Horner; Athena Strand. Credit :

Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty; Wise County Sheriff’s Department

NEED TO KNOW

Tanner Horner kidnapped and killed 7-year-old Athena Strand in November 2022
His mom and great-aunt testified at his trial in April 2026
They revealed that Tanner came from an unstable family

Tanner Horner’s mother and great-aunt took the stand during his trial for the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.

Athena was reported missing on Nov. 30, 2022. Two days later, authorities found her dead near a river roughly nine miles from her Texas home. According to an arrest affidavit reviewed by PEOPLE, Tanner — a former FedEx driver — allegedly led investigators to her body.

In video footage shown at the trial, jurors saw Tanner, who had been delivering packages in Athena’s neighborhood at the time, lifting Athena up and placing her in his vehicle. He then strangled her, according to authorities.

The Texas native was arrested in December 2022 and charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. On April 7, Tanner pleaded guilty to both charges, per CBS News and CNN.

His mother and great-aunt testified on April 22, sharing details about his upbringing and confronting his actions.

“I’m so mad at him. She was just a baby,” his mother said tearfully when asked about Tanner’s guilty plea.

Here’s everything to know about Tanner Horner’s family, including his parents, siblings and great-aunt.

Tanner’s parents had unstable childhoods

Tanner Horner in April 2026.

Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty

Tanner’s mom — who was only referred to as Mrs. Horner by attorneys — was born and raised by a teen mother in Fort Worth, Texas. She has claimed that her stepfather abused her.

“I was 4 when he tried to have sex with me,” Mrs. Horner told the court, adding that her mother didn’t believe her when she tried to tell her what happened.

She dropped out of high school around the 9th grade and was sent to rehab at age 14 for smoking weed. When she got out, she started working at a strip club and began abusing drugs, including meth, heroin and cocaine.

“I used everything I could get my hands on,” she said. “It wasn’t a good lifestyle.”

Meanwhile, Tanner’s great-aunt told the court that his father, Terry, also grew up in an unstable environment. After his parents divorced, Terry was passed between relatives.

“He never had a home,” she said.

Tanner’s parents have several children between them

Mrs. Horner met Tanner’s father, Terry, at the strip club where she was working when she was 17 and he was 29. During the trial, she alleged that Terry raped her the night they first met.

“The first night we met, he raped me,” she said.

They later married and welcomed Tanner. About a decade later, she had another son.

Tanner’s great-aunt also told the court that Terry had multiple children.

“I think he had several. It was a big joke in the family of how many kids [he] had,” she said.

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While on the stand, Mrs. Horner said she had been drinking heavily and using drugs before learning she was pregnant with Tanner. She said she didn’t realize she was pregnant until nearly nine weeks in, and continued to smoke marijuana and cigarettes during the pregnancy.

She also testified that once Tanner began school, she noticed he was struggling both socially and academically. He was later diagnosed with Asperger’s and ADHD.

“He didn’t get along with [other people]. He wanted to get along with people, but they weren’t interested in having conversations with him,” she said. “It was sad to watch. They didn’t like him at all.”

Tanner’s parents were in and out of prison and rehab during his childhood

Tanner Horner on the first day of his murder trial in April 2026.

Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty

Mrs. Horner testified that she went to rehab multiple times during his childhood, where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, per CBS News. She also said she was arrested on several occasions for drug use and prostitution and served time in prison. During those periods, Tanner stayed with his grandmother.

When asked whether Tanner had ever witnessed her using drugs, she said yes.

“I nodded out one time, on the toilet. Tanner came in. He was just a little guy, and he thought I was dead,” she told the court.

Meanwhile, Tanner’s father spent much of his adult life in and out of prison, though his great-aunt said he still cared deeply for his son.

Tanner’s dad is deceased

Tanner’s parents eventually separated but never legally divorced.

His father has since died. Mrs. Horner told the court that Terry “got killed by a lady on a motorcycle two years ago.”

Tanner’s mom and great-aunt testified at his trial

Tanner Horner mugshot.

AP/Shutterstock

At the end of her testimony, Tanner’s mother was asked whether she still loves her son, despite his role in the kidnapping and killing of Athena.

“Of course, I love my son,” she told the court. “I don’t love who did that, though. I don’t know what that was.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.