GUILTY TX - Athena Strand, 8, Abducted & Murdered by FedEx Contract Driver, Tanner Horner, Paradise, 30 November 2022 #2

[tlcya]

the defendant left letters in his jail cell prior to one of his suicide attempts. They were addressed to his family to Athena's to a pastor etc.

 

[tlcya]

Defense is doing cross. harping right out of the gate on the clothing and the shoes collected from Horner on the day of his arrest. His clothing and shoes were all stored in the jail locker in a single white bag. Witness put each item in its own separate bag as he took possession of the evidence.

I don't get it, is the defense trying to suggest one article of his clothing was perhaps cross contaminated by one of his other pieces of clothing? sigh, she is only serving to highlight and remind us and the jury of the semen stains. JMO

 

[su5ie]

Nooooooo, testing the treadmill pattern of his shoes to the marks on her face.

Jesus can't stop weeping.

God ,it doesn't bear thinking what she went through at the hands of that demon

 

[tlcya]

Defense is questioning some "stains" on the brown paper wrapping the articles were wrapped in when being taken into evidence. the stains weren't there upon collection and must have happened while stored in police evidence.

ETA trying to chip away at evidence. I have noticed a theme with defense. They are trying to discredit evidence but mostly evidence which seems to point to or suggest SA happened. Even though their client is not charged with that crime. They also want to suggest to the jury that Horner was trusting autistic mentally ill man who was tricked by LE.

I think both of these tactics point to the fact they know their client SA'd Athena and they don't want the jury to know or think it while deliberating his sentence for this heinous murder. They want to portray their client as a man whose alter personality killed Athena, but not for pervy purposes, but because he panicked over a nonexistent bump by the truck.

That won't work if the jury think he did it because he wanted to SA her and then get rid of the child victim of that crime. IMO

I've been giving though to the fact that he isn't charged with SA. I think that is because her body was recovered from water they couldn't prove that forensically with her remains. But the state is pretty certain it did happen because of the way the other evidence points to it.

Court is now dismissed, today's witness will return Monday morning at state's request. Defense has suggested the evidence he was testifying about could have had cross contamination once at the evidence room and that could adversely affect any results if anyone wanted to retest the evidence. The witness has bee asked by state to testify on Monday if anybody has ever requested the evidence be retested, to include the defense.

 

[browneyes]

Color me confused by this defense attorney. How does any of this mitigate her client getting the death penalty, since he already pled guilty.
This judge is a bit grumpy.

 

[browneyes]

That’s a wrap for today.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Why isn’t TH in handcuffs and shackles? Or doesn’t appear to be.
He seemed to bolt for the courtroom door at the close today.

 

[browneyes]

Defense is questioning some "stains" on the brown paper wrapping the articles were wrapped in when being taken into evidence. the stains weren't there upon collection and must have happened while stored in police evidence.

ETA trying to chip away at evidence. I have noticed a theme with defense. They are trying to discredit evidence but mostly evidence which seems to point to or suggest SA happened. Even though their client is not charged with that crime. They also want to suggest to the jury that Horner was trusting autistic mentally ill man who was tricked by LE.

I think both of these tactics point to the fact they know their client SA'd Athena and they don't want the jury to know or think it while deliberating his sentence for this heinous murder. They want to portray their client as a man whose alter personality killed Athena, but not for pervy purposes, but because he panicked over a nonexistent bump by the truck.

That won't work if the jury think he did it because he wanted to SA her and then get rid of the child victim of that crime. IMO

I've been giving though to the fact that he isn't charged with SA. I think that is because her body was recovered from water they couldn't prove that forensically with her remains. But the state is pretty certain it did happen because of the way the other evidence points to it.

Court is now dismissed, today's witness will return Monday morning at state's request. Defense has suggested the evidence he was testifying about could have had cross contamination once at the evidence room and that could adversely affect any results if anyone wanted to retest the evidence. The witness has bee asked by state to testify on Monday if anybody has ever requested the evidence be retested, to include the defense.

I believe the fact that she was found naked, and her clothes discovered at his home/shack speaks volumes. The jury will get it. IMO

 

[Dotta]

Jurors in Athena Strand killer sentencing shown grim new evidence

The stream was paused as jurors were played nightmarish audio from inside Horner's FedEx truck that he used to abduct the seven-year-old from outside her home in Texas in November 2022.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[tlcya]

I believe the fact that she was found naked, and her clothes discovered at his home/shack speaks volumes. The jury will get it. IMO

I agree, and I think that is why state mentioned DNA that shouldn't be on a 7 year old in their opening. They may not have felt confident enough to charge him with it, but they sure want the jury to know it's what they suspect.

 

[Megnut]

Why isn’t TH in handcuffs and shackles? Or doesn’t appear to be.
He seemed to bolt for the courtroom door at the close today.

Hoping he's wearing a really tight RACC belt.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I agree, and I think that is why state mentioned DNA that shouldn't be on a 7 year old in their opening. They may not have felt confident enough to charge him with it, but they sure want the jury to know it's what they suspect.

Really, didn't we ALL immediately suspect it? I think you're right though.

 

[mickey2942]

I don't think it will take long for a deliberation here. I am already done with this guy, and all of his personalities.

 

[joe jones]

whether he SA her or not it is a sexually motivated crime, what other possible reason would an adult male abduct a female child who is a stranger to him, his intent was to SA her and there may not be enough evidence to allow for a SA charge but IMO that was the only reason he took her,

 

[Megnut]

I agree, and I think that is why state mentioned DNA that shouldn't be on a 7 year old in their opening. They may not have felt confident enough to charge him with it, but they sure want the jury to know it's what they suspect.

He was alone with a little girl for an hour. Her clothing found apart from her.

And there is audio.

There is little no doubt this was a sexually motivated crime.

Capital murder sends him to prison for the rest of his life. They didn't need to pad the charges to get there.

May have been a joint decision with family, simply for the sake of their privacy.

He chose to leave her body in water for a reason.

It's horrendous, all of it.

JMO

 

[Ghostwheel]

Does anyone else wonder why no plea deal for no DP in exchange for pleading guilty? Would prosecution just not agree to it?

 

[tlcya]

I am sitting here debating whether, once the state rests, I should bother to watch the defense's case.

I mean guilt is acknowledged with his guilty plea. Do I have the patience or wherewithal to sit through the defense presenting their woe is poor Tanner Horner BS? Not sure I do.

 

[Megnut]

Does anyone else wonder why no plea deal for no DP in exchange for pleading guilty? Would prosecution just not agree to it?

Perhaps propelled by family who may have been agreement. Solid capital case, no reason to give TH mercy.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

I am sitting here debating whether, once the state rests, I should bother to watch the defense's case.

I mean guilt is acknowledged with his guilty plea. Do I have the patience or wherewithal to sit through the defense presenting their woe is poor Tanner Horner BS? Not sure I do.

Defense keeps trying to make a point that TH didn't resist arrest. Followed commands.

Yeah, because he knew he was done, not because he should get mercy for it.

JMO

 

[Ghostwheel]

Perhaps propelled by family who may have been agreement. Solid capital case, no reason to give TH mercy.

JMO

I was wondering if the hope was by pleading guilty, what is now being shown would not have been shown. To improve the chances of LWOP.