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

[Chelly]

The Death of Athena Strand: WFAA+ to stream gavel-to-gavel coverage | Here's how to watch

FedEx driver Tanner Horner is accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand in November 2022.

www.wfaa.com

Author: WFAA Staff
Published: 11:29 PM CDT April 2, 2026
Updated: 11:39 AM CDT April 3, 2026

DALLAS — Tanner Horner, a former FedEx driver, is accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old North Texas girl Athena Strand.
Horner is charged with capital murder in her death and could face the death penalty if convicted. His trial is scheduled to begin on April 7. WFAA will have gavel-to-gavel coverage, starting on April 7, on our TV streaming app WFAA+.

 

[Chelly]

Athena Strand Murder: Death penalty trial for Tanner Horner set for next week

Attorneys for Tanner Horner, the man accused of murdering 7-year-old Athena Strand, are asking a judge to ban the terms "psychopath" and "sociopath" from his upcoming death penalty trial in Tarrant County.

www.fox4news.com

The Brief​

• • Former delivery driver Tanner Horner faces trial next week in Tarrant County for the 2022 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.
  • Defense attorneys have asked the judge to ban the terms "psychopath" and "sociopath" from the sentencing phase, arguing the labels are scientifically unreliable.
  • While the state seeks the death penalty, the defense has tried to block it by citing Horner’s autism and questioning the legality of his initial police confession.

 

[CHEL]

Do we know if it will be streamed?

 

[Chelly]

Do we know if it will be streamed?

The man accused of killing 7-year-old Athena Strand on trial: How to watch live

A high-profile and emotional capital murder trial is set to begin in a Tarrant County courtroom this week as Tanner Horner faces a jury. Horner is accused in the 2022 death of 7-year-old Athena Strand. Here's how you can watch the trial live.

www.cbsnews.com

Here is another live streaming option.

 

[mickey2942]

Autism? That does not give anyone a pass to kill a child. He knew the difference between right and wrong, which is why he made attempts to cover up his crime.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, April 7th:
*Trial set to begin (Athena’s Case) (@ 9am CT) - TX - Athena Presley Monroe Strand (7) – (last seen near the 200 block of County 3573 on Nov. 30, 2022 in Paradise. Reported missing by mom @ 6:40pm on 11/30/22; found deceased along the water’s edge of the Trinity River southeast of Boyd on the evening of Dec. 2, 2022 about 9 miles from her home). *Tanner Lynn Horner (31/now 34) arrested (12/3/22), indicted (2/16/23), charged & arraigned (3/6/23) with capital murder (under the age of 10) & 1st degree felon aggravated kidnapping. Bond $1M (murder) $500K (kidnapping). Surety Bond total $1,545,000. Plead not guilty (3/6/23). DA will seek DP (2/18/23). Wise County/Now in 297th District Court-Tarrant County
TX - *Tanner Lynn Horner (31/now 34) charged (12/21/22) with 3 counts of sexual assault (from 2013) in Fort Worth. Bond @ $45K. Surety Bond Total $135K. Tarrant County
Admitted kidnapping & killing Athena.
Jury selection began on 1/30/26 & ended on 2/11/26.
Final jury selection began on 4/1/26 & ended. 12 jurors & 2 alternates.
Trial set to begin on 4/7/26.
Trial was moved from Wise County to Tarrant County [3/16/24].
Judge George Gallagher presiding. West County DA James Stainton. DA Allenna Banks. Defense: Public defenders Susan Anderson & Steven Goble. For Aggravated kidnapping defense attorney Pamela Fernandez.
Case & court info from 11/30/22 thru 12/21/22 [Tarrant County] & thru 1/21/26 [murder] & Jury Selection Day 1-4 (1/29-1/30, 2/11/26) reference post #536 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...actor-tanner-horner-paradise-2.649712/page-27
4/1/26 Wednesday, Jury Selection Day 5: Jury selection in the case was finalized. Opening statements are scheduled for 4/7/26.
In a motion filed last week, the office of the regional public defender for capital cases asked Judge George Gallagher to order that experts refrain from using two terms, psychopath & sociopath, in reference to the defendant, Horner, who is accused of killing Athena Strand inside his FedEx truck in Wise County. The motion asks Judge Gallagher to exclude in the punishment phase “any & all psychiatric or psychological expert testimony offered by the state that incorporates a prediction” on whether Horner is a future danger or will constitute a continuing threat to society, attorneys Susan Anderson & Steven Goble wrote in the motion. Future dangerousness is one of two questions at the core of sentencing in death penalty cases. Wise County Criminal District Attorney’s Office prosecutors are themselves hoping to limit possible evidence. In a motion, the state requested an order directing defense attorneys not to mention in the trial’s guilt-innocence phase that Horner has Asperger’s, autism, bipolar or multiple personality disorder, and not to refer to a civil settlement of a lawsuit Athena’s parents reached with FedEx. Judge Gallagher has not ruled on the motions.

 

[Chelly]

Another choice for watching the trial

 

[Niner]

Another choice for watching the trial

I don't have time to listen - if you are going to - can you get witnesses names, etc. for me? Just in case there isn't a great article available tomorrow morning (for me!) TIA if you can!

 

[tlcya]

FOX 4 will provide live gavel-to-gavel coverage from inside the courtroom for the duration of the trial.

Tuesday's proceedings are expected to begin around 9 a.m.
Trial for delivery driver accused of killing Athena Strand, 7, to begin Tuesday

I think this link will provide bullet points/updates throughout the trial. For those who want to follow but won't have time to actually watch or listen to testimony.

 

[Mfcovent]

AAAAAAAAND a Guilty plea right out the gate. Good for justice, and for the family I guess. But I always sorta hate when this happens. I just want ANSWERS!

 

[Megnut]

AAAAAAAAND a Guilty plea right out the gate. Good for justice, and for the family I guess. But I always sorta hate when this happens. I just want ANSWERS!

What???????

 

[tlcya]

AAAAAAAAND a Guilty plea right out the gate. Good for justice, and for the family I guess. But I always sorta hate when this happens. I just want ANSWERS!

wait, what? Did he reach a plea agreement or something? Link please if you can give one.

 

[Megnut]

Court is live.

 

[tlcya]

the livestream is live and the attorneys are wrangling over exhibits and what should or should not be allowed.

So I am thinking trial is still on here. No guilty plea that I can tell

 

[tlcya]

LAW AND CRIME POSTED THIS IN THEIR CHAT, still looking for news link to confirm this apparent plea

 

[Megnut]

the livestream is live and the attorneys are wrangling over exhibits and what should or should not be allowed.

So I am thinking trial is still on here. No guilty plea that I can tell

Lord. What am I listening to? Defense arguing about the President's sexcapades????? Wanting to preclude the defendant's sexual provlivities perhaps? "Because it's death penalty case."

Judge upheld his previous ruling.

Defense then asked for a continuance.

DENIED.

20 minute recess.

 

[tlcya]

I am so stinkin confused right now

 

[Megnut]

View attachment 657561
LAW AND CRIME POSTED THIS IN THEIR CHAT, still looking for news link to confirm this apparent plea

What???? So what are they talking about how? Sentencing?

 

[Megnut]

I am so stinkin confused right now

Maybe the judge still has the power to down-sentence?

 

[tlcya]

I can't find any link but I am thinking maybe he did plead guilty and we are talking about what can be used in sentencing maybe?