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The heartbroken grandfather of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand said he forgives the “psychopathic” FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and murdering her — but also wishes he had “5 minutes alone in a cell” with the suspect. Mark Strand broke his silence with a heartbreaking Facebook post Sunday after his granddaughter’s body was discovered about six miles from her home in Paradise, Texas. Athena went missing from her home on Wednesday and an Amber Alert was issued the next day. Her body was discovered on Friday. Police said Tanner Lynn Horner, a 31-year-old FedEx truck driver, confessed to grabbing the little girl before killing her within an hour of her abduction. He faces charges of murder and aggravated kidnapping. No motive has been released and Horner is not believed to have anything to do with the little girl. After his arrest, the aspiring musician’s chilling song lyrics surfaced: “Sometimes I hear her cry. Silence is the dirtiest trick in life. If I’m so empty then why do I feel alive.”
Basic points
Grandpa says he “forgives” the killer Body of 7-year-old missing from Texas found FedEx truck driver Tanner Lynn Horner was arrested Mother says her ‘princess’ was caught by a ‘cruel monster’ Athena Strand went missing on Wednesday
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Everything we know about the FedEx driver accused of killing Athena Strand
According to Wise County Jail records, 31-year-old Tanner Horner was booked at 2 a.m. Friday on one count of murder of a person under 10 and aggravated kidnapping. His bond was set at $1.5 million. Horner has reportedly worked as an Uber driver and posted on social media that he is a musician. Here’s everything we know about the case: Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 03:10 1670290835
ICYMI: Timeline of Athena’s Strand disappearance and murder investigation
Athena was last seen alive at her home in the 200 Block of County Rd 3573 in Paradise at approximately 5:40 pm on Wednesday. Her stepmother reported her missing about an hour later, sparking a massive search involving multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that used canine units and thermal imaging helicopters. Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin announced at a news conference late Friday that Athena’s body had been found and FedEx driver Tanner Horner had been arrested. The suspect reportedly confessed to abducting Athena and killing her about an hour later before disposing of her body, Mr Akin told reporters. Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 01:40 1670285249
Tanner Horner’s neighbors ‘shocked’ by accusations
Neighbors of Tanner Lynn Horner have shared their shock and horror at the news that he is a suspect in Athena Strand’s murder. Neighbors said Horner lived with his grandmother and mother in west Fort Worth and would leave for weeks at a time before returning home. Io Dodds6 December 2022 00:07 1670285122
Athena Strand’s mother says her ‘princess’ was taken by a ‘brutal monster’
The devastated mother of Texas schoolgirl Athena Strand has described the suspect who allegedly confessed to her murder as a “sick, cruel monster”. In a Facebook post on Saturday, Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, wrote that she was struggling to describe the “pain and utter anger” she felt towards the alleged killer. “My princess was taken from me by a sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason,” he wrote alongside a video taken at the home of three-year-old Athena. “Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, smart and just the most radiant, happy soul you could ever meet. I don’t want her to be the girl known as the one who was murdered and rejected by a monster. “I want everyone, every person in this world, to know that this is my baby and my baby was taken.” The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the story: Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 00:05 1670280000
Sheriff describes investigation as ‘one of the toughest’
In a late-night news conference Friday, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin announced that authorities had taken a FedEx contract driver into custody. Investigators had determined that Tanner Horner, 31, had surrendered near the family’s home at the time Athena disappeared. Mr Akin said the driver allegedly confessed to taking Athena and showed them where her body could be found, in a ditch about six miles outside Paradise. She was believed to have died within an hour of her abduction, but no further details were released as to how she was killed. “It’s one of the toughest investigations I’ve been involved in because it’s a child,” Mr. Akin said at the press conference, according to Fox4. “Every time a child dies, it hits you in the heart.” Andrea Blanco5 December 2022 22:40 1670274865
Creepy Song Lyrics Written by Suspect Accused of Athena’s Murder
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, is accused of abducting little Athena from her home in Paradise, Texas, before killing her and dumping her body in a ditch about six miles away. Police said he confessed to the heinous crime and is being held on charges of murder and kidnapping. Following his arrest, the aspiring musician’s dark song lyrics and disturbing social media posts surfaced. In an Instagram post from December 2014, she wrote: “Sometimes I hear her cry. Silence is the dirtiest trick in life. If I’m so empty then why do I feel alive.” The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story: Andrea Blanco5 December 2022 21:14 1670270943
Everything we know about Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and murdering Athena
Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin told reporters that the driver, 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner, reportedly confessed to kidnapping and killing her. Here’s everything we know about the suspect and the case: Andrea Blanco5 December 2022 20:09 1670267135
Heartbroken mother shares heartbreaking video of murdered 7-year-old’s sister sobbing
Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Presley Gandy, posted the video on Facebook on Monday, three days after her child was found dead in Paradise, Texas. The little girl was reported missing on Wednesday (November 30) and suspect Tanner Lynn Horner is now charged with her abduction and murder. Ms Gandhi explained that the video of her other daughter sobbing uncontrollably about her “sissy” was taken days before Athena went missing, as the seven-year-old was visiting her father in Texas. At the time, Mrs. Gandy said she assured the distraught girl that her sister would be back with them in Oklahoma soon. “This video of him [redacted] begging for her sissy it was Sunday 27/11 when we thought sissy would only be gone a few days. I kept telling her, ‘it’s okay, we’ll see each other soon, not knowing how twisted our lives would become,’” Mrs Gandhi wrote. The Independent has the story: Andrea Blanco5 December 2022 19:05 1670264598
Athena Strand’s grandfather says he forgives ‘psychic’ FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and murdering her
The heartbroken grandfather of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand said he forgives the “psychopathic” FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and murdering her — but also wishes he had “five minutes alone in a cell” with the suspect. “This flesh, this man that I am, is angry and I want 5 minutes alone in a cell with the soul that took our Athena from us, but there is a small gentle voice in the back of my head that tells me that I must forgive him,” he wrote. Andrea Blanco December 5, 2022 6:23 p.m 1670259081
The Community wears pink in support of Athena
Area school districts will wear pink to support Athena Strand, her family and the local community. Athena’s mother’s Facebook page has also been flooded with comments and photos of mothers and children across Texas and the country wearing pink in tribute to the seven-year-old girl who was killed Wednesday. “I wore my baby girl pink today for Athena. She said “my favorite color is also pink, we could be friends” I am praying so hard for you. And I’m so sorry,” one mother wrote. (Miatlyn Presley Worthy) Andrea Blanco5 December 2022 16:51
