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

[Megnut]

I’ve been in and out today. Did someone testify that he/she diagnosed him with ASD? I am hearing this school psychologist say the ASD diagnosis is “in the record” but that doesn’t tell me who made the diagnosis. A school psychologist doesn’t diagnosis ASD.

It's buried in his school records but iirc the Defense didn't publish it. I'm guessing they can't authenticate it. Or they would.

 

[browneyes]

Was cross finished? I missed it.

 

[mickey2942]

These types of things really bother me. Because it creates a stigma. Oh "That guy who killed that little girl was Autistic" therefore, all people with autism are killers.

Logical, but not factual. However, all people jump to is the conclusion, that is not in fact correct. It drives me crazy. People with disabilities have enough issues. TH knew what he was doing, knew it was wrong.

No excuses.

 

[Considering]

Wow - the judge is allowing a lot of expert testimony for someone not testifying as an expert.
I hope the jury remembers that she is not deemed an expert witness, nor is she a clinical psychologist.

 

[su5ie]

These types of things really bother me. Because it creates a stigma. Oh "That guy who killed that little girl was Autistic" therefore, all people with autism are killers.

Logical, but not factual. However, all people jump to is the conclusion, that is not in fact correct. It drives me crazy. People with disabilities have enough issues. TH knew what he was doing, knew it was wrong.

No excuses.

It's actually sickening to me that Autism is being used to condone this man's murderous deed

There is enough misconceptions around Autism without this chit

 

[mickey2942]

Wow - the judge is allowing a lot of expert testimony for someone not testifying as an expert.
I hope the jury remembers that she is not deemed an expert witness, nor is she a clinical psychologist.

I am not an "expert" in anything. But I pretend to know a lot of stuff online. Same difference.

I should sign up to be an "expert witness" at $400 an hour.

 

[Walela]

Wow - the judge is allowing a lot of expert testimony for someone not testifying as an expert.
I hope the jury remembers that she is not deemed an expert witness, nor is she a clinical psychologist.

I'm counting on the prosecution's closings to remind them.

 

[Walela]

I am not an "expert" in anything. But I pretend to know a lot of stuff online. Same difference.

I should sign up to be an "expert witness" at $400 an hour.

You would need to charge more than $400 so you could be blurred.

 

[TMich6811]

I’m a bit defensive over the ASD population right now. This is petty yuck to try to swing

 

[MsMarple]

Kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 7 year old should be the death penalty, IMO. No matter if the victim is not murdered. IMO

And in this case the victim was tortured too! If ever there was a compelling case for the dp this is it. It’s a clear case of premeditated sexual assault and murder - torture should have been added as an aggravating factor. In any case the autopsy report clearly identifies this as a prolonged, painful death.
JMO

 

[Megnut]

He just really needs to be removed from society completely. So he can never ever reoffend. Not through a prison break or a pardon. There is only one way to permanently erase his memory, from mentally reliving what he did for pleasure.

He violated every tenet of human decency.

I'm not a proponent of the DP, for reasons, but is there any other way, truly, to prevent him from reoffending, including deriving pleasure from what he'd done, on repeat?

 

[Leilei]

He just really needs to be removed from society completely. So he can never ever reoffend. Not through a prison break or a pardon. There is only one way to permanently erase his memory, from mentally reliving what he did for pleasure.

He violated every tenet of human decency.

I'm not a proponent of the DP, for reasons, but is there any other way, truly, to prevent him from reoffending, including deriving pleasure from what he'd done, on repeat?

There is no way to keep him from reoffending. I hate that he was able to listen to that audio in the courtroom, and I hate that he will be able to re-live that for the rest of his (hopefully very short) life. I see no remorse at all, from the videos to his attitude in court. This isn't an Autism/lead poisoning/bad childhood thing. This is an evil predator thing, and there is no fixing that.
DP please.
IMO.

 

[mickey2942]

If the "goal" is to put time/distance from the audio of the crime, 1,000 "expert" witnesses could testify, wouldn't change a thing.

He told a little girl, he was beating to death to "be quiet", or he would hurt her more.

Let that sink in. There is nothing that could erase something like that.

Or singing "Jingle Bell Rock" while beating a child?

Those jurors will never forget this. It is haunting. And Christmas will never be the same for Athena's family.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

He sat in a corner, pooping (out pennies ). Like most/many toddlers do when potty training. Did they really go there? This is absolutely pathetic.

What a silly boy

 

[scottishgal]

Jingle bell rock should be played at verdict watch

 

[Niner]

Friday, April 24th:
*Trial continues/Penalty Phase (Day 11) (@ 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 stepmom @ 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 on 3/16/24.
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 began on 4/7/26. Horner plead GUILTY. Punishment phase (sentencing) started on 4/7/26. State rested their case on 4/16/26. Defense began their case on 4/22/26.
Judge George Gallagher presiding. Wise 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 & 4/1/26) & Trial/Sentencing Phase Day 1-9 (4/7-4/22/26) & thru 4/21/26 reference post #1813 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...actor-tanner-horner-paradise-2.649712/page-91
4/23/26 Thursday, Trial/Penalty Phase Day 10: Defense witnesses: First witness sister of Horner’s father (no name given). Ms. Sullivan [2nd cousin to Horner; babysat him when she was 10 or 11]. Dr. Aaron Specht, Metals Exposure Expert [Assistant Professor at Purdue University; testified as to the alleged lead poisoning]. Via Zoom: Mr. Weeks, a licensed professional therapist. [He worked at First Choice. It was a counseling place used by people with drug and/or mental health issues. Worked there in 1999. He was a therapist with children & parents. Saw TH when he was 7 or 8]. Mary, a licensed social school psychologist. Trial continues on Friday, 4/24/26.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Jingle bell rock should be played at verdict watch

Jingle bell rock should be played in his cell 24/7 for the remainder of his life.

 

[Megnut]

Jingle bell rock should be played in his cell 24/7 for the remainder of his life.

Except he'd like it.

He redefines evil.