Found Deceased TX - Athena Strand, 7, last seen at home, 200 block County Rd 3573, Paradise, 30 Nov 2022

[Turkeytrot]

Of all of the possibilities that went through my mind, this was not one of them. how awful.

 

[whitelilac]

How stupid can this guy be? Contract driver or not FedEx must have an inventory log of packages that go out for delivery. The minute the package was retrieved would have put the driver on the suspect list. IMO

There was mention that LE communicated with Fedex as part of their investigation.

Maybe the tip was that a Fedex delivery person was seen in the area, or that a package had been delivered nearby...
Or could be that the tip was sent in by someone who knew TH was on a route in the area, or even by his GF/fiancée herself.

 

[vaporlass]

Did Athena's grandmother live on the other side of the road? Best I can understand, this is where she lived with her father and his wife.

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Stepmom could have easily seen him at this distance if she had been looking out the window! You think your kids are safe in the country but clearly not. Everyone needs cameras around their homes. Our home is 1/4m from the road, I have over 20 cameras around my property - all online. FedEX and UPS come to my front door. Will be watching my grandchildren much more closely.
I definitely don’t think this was his first time. He wanted to be famous … he is now. .

 

[vaporlass]

I was wrong about FedEx contract vehicles. “FedEx to spend $100 million on improving delivery-vehicle safety” in Sept 2021. “The company’s Ground unit is offering $1,500 per vehicle to reimburse its contractors for installing cameras and sensors that warn drivers of obstacles or other vehicles.”

FedEx to spend $100 million on improving delivery-vehicle safety

FedEx is requiring delivery contractors to install cameras and other safety equipment to reduce accidents.

fortune.com

FedEx requires cameras in front and back but not on the sides of vehicles?. Regardless, if cameras aren’t on the sides - they will never capture crimes committed by the drivers.

 

[Lillymac]

I'm so proud of these law enforcement officers and the job they did to resolve this tragedy as quickly as they did. Praying for all the family especially mom and dad. I'm so sorry for this horrible loss!

 

[BeckyF]

I'm so proud of these law enforcement officers and the job they did to resolve this tragedy as quickly as they did. Praying for all the family especially mom and dad. I'm so sorry for this horrible loss!

Yes, they did an excellent job.

 

[Lillymac]

Yes, they did an excellent job.

<modsnip> takin care of business. Even though their hearts are broken!!

 

[BeckyF]

Kudos to the person who called in the tip about seeing the Fed Ex driver. I think that cracked the case.

 

[boomburger]

Its so difficult to be against the death penalty when child predators like this exist. He serves no purpose in life any more.

 

[MsMarple]

There was mention that LE communicated with Fedex as part of their investigation.

Maybe the tip was that a Fedex delivery person was seen in the area, or that a package had been delivered nearby...
Or could be that the tip was sent in by someone who knew TH was on a route in the area, or even by his GF/fiancée herself.

Yeah, he actually delivered a package to Athena’s house! Did it not occur to him that LE was going to check who delivered it and when?

Athena Strand: Missing 7-year-old's body found two days after going missing in Wise County, police say

Police had been looking for the missing Wise County girl for almost two days and put out an AMBER Alert. She was first reported missing on Wednesday evening.

www.wfaa.com

Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, confessed to police to abducting and killing Athena Wednesday afternoon, Akin said. Horner, who was working as a contract FedEx truck driver, had been delivering a package to Athena's family home when she was allegedly abducted.

Edited to add link

 

[Proudnanny]

I'm so sorry for the family I know my opinion was wrong and I'm very sorry for that I will never be so judgemental again my thoughts and prayers are with this poor family I just want to cry for this family so sad RIP sweet girl

 

[BeckyF]

There was mention that LE communicated with Fedex as part of their investigation.

Maybe the tip was that a Fedex delivery person was seen in the area, or that a package had been delivered nearby...
Or could be that the tip was sent in by someone who knew TH was on a route in the area, or even by his GF/fiancée herself.

I think LE and/ or FBI (whoever has the most clout) communicated directly with Fed Ex to find out which driver was in the area. Maybe they got DNA from his vehicle or maybe they just brought the creep in for questioning.

 

[BeckyF]

Its so difficult to be against the death penalty when child predators like this exist. He serves no purpose in life any more.

He will be on the fast track in Texas.

 

[LucyOso]

RIP Princess.

 

[boomburger]

I really truly hate humanity sometimes.

 

[BlaiseFinlay]

Devastating. A few takeaways:

1) Regardless of the circumstances, 1 hour is too long to search for a missing child before calling for help. (May not have made a difference, of course.)

2) Providing cops full information is not always a good thing. In the Debbie Collier case, people made a big deal about Amanda Bearden telling the cops her mother didn’t have mental health issues. But I get it. Unless her mother was schizophrenic, had dementia, or had left a suicide note, or similar, answering “yes” to that question would have likely negatively affected the changes of finding her murderer if she had been murdered. Here, the cops indicated they delayed the Amber Alert because they heard she had run away before. (Which despite what many have said here, is totally normal. The problem is that once the child has left home, they’re very vulnerable, so it’s really no less of an emergency situation.) We don’t know what other ways it may have impeded the investigation. Obviously this point will be controversial — I can certainly see how having that information could increase the chances of her safe return.

 

[AngTxGal]

I am familiar with the area, live in DFW area, received this Amber Alert Thurs afternoon.
There was no vehicle description, and it states city of Paradise.
She was not missing from the city, which only has about 600 residents, she lived in the country on a county road. No description of a vehicle was given- yet that is a requirement for an Amber Alert.
Just curious if this has come up in discussion- rural residents would not have been on alert.

This is the Amber Alert I received Thurs 2:20PM
Missing endangered child in Paradise, TX. Victim 7 yr old white female, Athena Strand, who was last seen wearing a gray/black long sleeve shirt, blue jeans with flowers on front pockets with brown boots. Athena Strand’s whereabouts are unknown and law enforcement believes the child’s safety and health are in danger. Call 9-1-1 with information

 

[AngTxGal]

<modsnip: opinion stated as fact>

Honestly, jail is probably the safest place he can be right now. It's certainly the only place in this part of the state where anyone at all has any incentive to make sure he survives to be tried and sentenced.

<modsnip: referenced post snipped>

Does Texas have insanity plea? Yes, and in some cases it is warranted.

Man acquitted of murder with insanity defense escapes Texas mental hospital

Alexander Scott Ervin allegedly stabbed his father to death in 2013. His brother testified he claimed to be a trained member of the CIA on a mission to kill their father.

www.cbsnews.com

Does Texas have the death penalty? Yes. And sometimes that justice isn‘t while in custody.
Yes, jail is the safest place. Confession was his wisest choice as then he would stay in custody. The bond is a bit humorous- if he gets out Justice will be served sure and quick by a community that will not tolerate such wastes of human skin.

At least with him in custody other victims can get their justice. Yes, he will be a repeat offender, you don’t wake up at 31 and decide to commit such a horrific depraved act!

Just my opinion
Justice for Athena Strand

 

[AngTxGal]

I was wrong about FedEx contract vehicles. “FedEx to spend $100 million on improving delivery-vehicle safety” in Sept 2021. “The company’s Ground unit is offering $1,500 per vehicle to reimburse its contractors for installing cameras and sensors that warn drivers of obstacles or other vehicles.”

FedEx to spend $100 million on improving delivery-vehicle safety

FedEx is requiring delivery contractors to install cameras and other safety equipment to reduce accidents.

fortune.com

FedEx requires cameras in front and back but not on the sides of vehicles?. Regardless, if cameras aren’t on the sides - they will never capture crimes committed by the drivers.

The purpose of the cameras are to protect the driver, if he knew where they were present or where they were located he could have moved the vehicle so it would not catch his activity.

It is a rural rural area. His delivery time would have been similar, after she was home from school. He likely had seen her before- this was likely premeditated.

What was the length of the driveway?
Where did he leave the package?
In rural areas it is common to have a large mailbox near the road where deliveries are to be made. Unless it was a big package and he had to drive up the driveway? I would be curious to know the length of the driveway from the road, and where he parked his truck typically for deliveries.
In my opinion only,
Justice for Athena

 

[youngsleuther]

It is a rural rural area. His delivery time would have been similar, after she was home from school. He likely had seen her before- this was likely premeditated.

According to this, it's a crime of opportunity.