The mother of Athena Strand, who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by a FedEx driver, has stated that she wants the death penalty for her daughter's killer.

As per NBC News, Strand was reported missing from her father's home on the evening of November 30, and this sparked a widespread search involving over 200 volunteers from the area.

On December 2 it was sadly announced by Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin that Strand's body had been discovered nearly 11 miles away from her father's home.

A FedEx driver - 31- year-old Tanner Lynn Horner - was arrested in connection to the murder and allegedly confessed to officials. CBS News reports that Strand likely died within an hour of being abducted.

Strand's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, recently spoke to WFAA where she revealed she is open to her daughter's killer getting the death penalty if charged.

"I support the death penalty. In any sentencing that may come," Gandy said. "If I could sit down in front of him, I would tell him that he is nothing, but that Athena is absolutely everything, and I will make sure that everybody in this world knows that he is nothing and that she is everything."

Horner allegedly kidnapped Strand after hitting her with his van while delivering a package, which turned out to contain her Christmas present of Barbie dolls. He is claimed to have panicked and put her in his van when she began saying she would tell her father about the incident, resulting in Horner strangling the seven-year-old, as reported by the Daily Mail.

"We are very forgiving people. If Athena was not injured or even if she had a few bumps and scrapes, he could have just driven away. We could have forgiven him," Gandy said.

She continued: "Accidents do happen, but he chose to do more - and what he did was unforgivable. I have a hard time believing Athena couldn't have walked away. Athena could have just walked away, and I wish he would have let her."

Gandy revealed that the hardest moment of the ordeal so far was having to see her daughter's face at her funeral. She released images of Strand's coffin which was bright pink - her favorite color - lined with fur and an image of the smiling seven-year-old.

Gandy has vowed she will fight for justice for her daughter.

Featured image credit: B Christopher / Alamy

A FedEx driver made an outrageous request to police after being arrested for killing seven-year-old Athena Strand.

Tanner Horner, 34, attempted to bargain with investigators for a month at home with his family over Christmas in exchange for details about the crime.

In the interrogation video shown to jurors in court, Horner told them: "I imagine that you have, basically, a list and bullet points that you want to know from me. There’s only one thing in this world that I want... I want a month," per NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.

"Even if y’all have to put an ankle monitor on me, GPS monitor, check-ups with you," he said. "If you give me a month with my family, so I can have Christmas with my son, I’ll tell you everything."

When officers made clear the request was likely impossible, the suspect chillingly responded: "Either way, that’s basically my price."

Tanner Horner, a former FedEx driver, has been charged with kidnapping and killing seven-year-old Athena Strand in 2022. Credit: The Dallas Morning News/Hearst Newspapers / Getty

Chilling Details of Athena’s Final Moments Revealed

Prosecutors say Horner abducted Athena on November 30, 2022, while delivering a package of Barbies to her home in Lake Worth, Texas, intended as a Christmas gift.

Audio recorded inside the delivery vehicle has become a key piece of evidence. According to prosecutor James Stainton, the first thing Horner does is put the child "in that truck, leans down, and he says, 'Don't scream or I'll hurt you'."

He warned the court about the distressing nature of the evidence, adding: "One thing you’re going to hear that is something you can’t unhear is the level of fight that a seven-year-old girl has.

"I’ll tell you that little girl right there is a warrior. She fought with the strength of 100 men," he added.

Additional evidence presented in court includes the driver's DNA found under the seven-year-old's fingernails and in "places where you shouldn't find DNA."

Strand was strangled and dumped into a river by Tanner Horner. Credit: Facebook

Suspect Admits Truth

Horner initially told police he had accidentally struck Athena with his vehicle and killed her in a panic, but that version of events was later dismissed.

Images shown in court appear to show the little girl inside the van alive and conscious, contradicting his earlier account, and further footage from the vehicle’s dashcam allegedly shows Horner placing her into the back of the van.

In addition to this, bodycam footage captured the moment he began to confess. When asked about Athena’s whereabouts, he told officers: "I can show you."

When questioned: "Is she alive?" he replied: "She wasn't alive when I put her in the truck."

Prosecutors say he later dumped her body in a wooded area near the Trinity River after killing her.

Athena could be seen looking scared behind the driver's seat. Credit: FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth

Horner has now pleaded guilty to murder, capital murder, and aggravated kidnapping.

Jurors are tasked with deciding his fate, with the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Featured image credit: The Dallas Morning News/Hearst Newspapers / Getty

The mom of a girl who police believe was kidnapped and killed by a FedEx driver has shared an agonizing tribute to her late daughter.

On Friday, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin announced that the body of seven-year-old Athena Strand was found southeast of the city of Boyd, roughly 11 miles away from her father's home.

As reported by NBC News, Athena Strand was reported missing from her father's Paradise home on Wednesday evening (roughly 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth). The news of the girl's disappearance prompted a community-wide search involving approximately 200 volunteers from the area.

"We knew early on in the investigation that there had been a FedEx driver, made a delivery in front of the house, about the same time that little Athena, 7-year-old Athena, came up missing," Akin told reporters.

The sheriff then revealed that 31-year-old FedEx contract driver Tanner Lynn Horner has been arrested on the charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Officials have revealed that Horner - of Lake Worth, Texas - had delivered a package to the girl's home around the time she went missing.

NBC DFW has reported that 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner is facing aggravated kidnapping and capital murder charges after confessing to killing Athena.

Now, Athena's grieving mom, Maitlyn Gandy, has taken to social media to pay tribute to her "princess".

After the news broke that Athena had been found dead, Gandy started to flood her Facebook page with dozens of pictures and videos of her daughter.

"I want the world to know my baby, my first baby, my first true love, the reason I breathe," she writes. "I love my daughter beyond words and I will always love her."

The mother's post continues: "I cannot describe the pain and absolute anger I feel. Missing her doesn’t cover how I feel. My daughters name is Athena Presley Monroe Strand, which she would happily announce to anyone listening, and anyone not listening she would make listen.

"My princess was taken from me from a sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason.

"Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet. I don’t want her to be the girl known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster. I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me."

"I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is," the mom concludes.

In another post, Gandy listed her late daughter's favorite things - noting that her "favorite color is pink. She loves to dress up as the princess we all know she is. When she grows up, she wants to be a Viking princess".

"Athena is loved by mommy and daddy, and all of her sisters, many many aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents," the mom adds.

Finally, mentioning the upcoming case into her daughter's death, Gandy wrote: "She no longer has a voice but I will be the best voice I can as a mother for her and I will not stop."

During his press conference on Friday, Akin did not state the exact location where the child's body was found, nor did he provide any motive or cause of death. It has been reported that Athena's body was located following a tip that investigators had received earlier in the day.

Horner is currently being held on $1.5 million bail at Wise County Jail.

FedEx is reportedly cooperating fully with investigators.

As well as the hundreds of volunteers, the FBI, Texas Rangers Division, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and the US Marshals Service all contributed to the search and investigation.

Our thoughts continue to go out to everybody affected by this tragedy.

Featured image credit: Facebook

The FedEx driver accused of murdering seven-year-old Athena Strand could face the death penalty, multiple outlets have reported.

As previously detailed, Strand was reported missing on November 30 last year, prompting a widespread search involving hundreds of volunteers in the area. Just days later, on December 2, it was sadly announced by Texas' Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin that Strand's body had been discovered nearly 11 miles away from her father's home.

A FedEx driver - 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner - was arrested in connection to the murder and allegedly confessed to officials. CBS News reports that Strand likely died within an hour of being abducted.

Police say that Horner has claimed that he had accidentally hit Strand with his van while backing into her father's driveway to make a delivery - which turned out to be her Christmas present - but confessed that he strangled her when she said she would alert her father. He then reportedly dumped her body.

Strand's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, has previously spoken out about her daughter's tragic death, stating: "We are very forgiving people. If Athena was not injured or even if she had a few bumps and scrapes, he could have just driven away. We could have forgiven him [...] Accidents do happen, but he chose to do more - and what he did was unforgivable. I have a hard time believing Athena couldn't have walked away. Athena could have just walked away, and I wish he would have let her."

Police have now reportedly asked prosecutors involved in Strand's case to seek the death penalty for Horner's crimes, after he was indicted last week on two charges of aggravated kidnapping and capital murder of a person under the age of 10, per NBC DFW.

Grandy subsequently released a statement, saying: "I would like to thank the Wise County grand jury for their role in this process. Hearing the facts and circumstances of my 7-year-old daughter's kidnapping and murder was undoubtedly very difficult for them. I want them to know that their work is deeply appreciated.

"Tanner Horner's indictment is the beginning of a long road through the justice system. I appreciate everyone's continued support and for keeping Athena's name and memory alive. Please take a moment to hug your children and loved ones. No one is promised another day," it concluded.

If Horner is convicted on the capital murder charge, he could be facing either life in prison without parole or the death penalty. He is also being held on four charges relating to the sexual assault of a child in 2013, though this is unrelated to Strand's case.

In Texas, the only crime capable of resulting in a death penalty is capital murder, according to the Texas Penal Code. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has detailed that three prisoners have already received the death penalty this year alone, while last year that number stood at five.

Our thoughts continue to go out to Athena's family and loved ones at this time.

Featured image credit: Facebook

Here's everything we know about Athena Strand, the seven-year-old girl who was kidnapped and killed by a FedEx driver, as a heartbreaking final image shown in court sheds new light on her final moments.

As widely reported, Strand was abducted by Tanner Horner while he was delivering her Christmas present to her Texas home on November 30, 2022.

The news of her disappearance prompted an urgent community-wide search involving approximately 200 volunteers from the area.

Tragically, her body was later discovered southeast of the city of Boyd, roughly 11 miles away from her family home.

Strand was strangled and dumped into a river by Tanner Horner. Credit: Facebook

Haunting Image Reveals Strand's Final Moments

A chilling black-and-white image presented in court on Tuesday (April 7) has become one of the most disturbing pieces of evidence in the case.

The picture was taken inside a delivery van and shows the child, who appeared terrified, alive and alert, on her knees behind the driver’s seat.

Prosecutors say the photo directly contradicts the FedEx driver's earlier claims that he had accidentally hit the child, as the image shows no signs of injury.

Horner can reportedly be seen calmly driving and whistling, while Strand stares ahead.

Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in the 2022 death of seven-year-old Athena Strand. Credit: Wise County Jail

Prosecutors Reveal Disturbing Details In Court

Horner, 34, has pleaded guilty to capital murder of a child under 10 and aggravated kidnapping.

During opening statements, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton warned jurors about the harrowing evidence they would hear.

"She was very much alive and uninjured when he put her in the truck," he said, per The New York Post. "The first thing he said to her was, 'Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you.' That’s the first thing out of his mouth. He made good on it."

Stainton also described audio evidence recovered from inside the van, which jurors are expected to hear.

"You’re going to hear what a 250-pound man can do to a 67-pound child," he said, adding that Strand "fought with the strength of 100 men".

"It’s horrible. One thing you can’t unhear is the level of fight in a seven-year-old girl when she’s facing certain death. This is the level of cold-heartedness that you’re going to see," Stainton added.

Investigation and Arrest

Horner admitted to kidnapping the little girl, attempting to break her neck, and ultimately strangling her inside the delivery van before dumping her body in the Trinity River.

Police were able to track the driver down after identifying that he had made a delivery to the seven-year-old's home on the day she disappeared.

FBI Special Agent Patrick McGuire told jurors that Horner initially denied remembering the delivery and claimed he saw a green van leaving the property, a vehicle investigators now believe never existed, per Fox 4 News.

After further questioning, Horner changed his story and eventually led police to Strand's body just two days after her disappearance.

Athena could be seen looking scared behind the driver's seat. Credit: FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth

Defense Arguments and What Happens Next

While Horner has pleaded guilty, his defense team has argued against the death penalty.

His attorneys told the court that he has Asperger's, that his mother drank while pregnant, and that he was exposed to lead as a child.

"Tanner unfortunately also suffered various mental illnesses throughout his life. He’s been diagnosed and received treatment for and some of those are ongoing. You’ll hear about those issues," defense attorney Steven Goble said.

The punishment phase of the trial is ongoing, with jurors expected to look at further evidence, including hours of interrogation footage, before deciding whether the driver will spend the rest of his life in prison or face execution.

Featured image credit: Facebook