FedEx Driver Sentenced to Death for Kidnapping and Murder of Seven-Year-Old Athena Strand A Texas jury has sentenced Tanner Horner to death for the kidnapping and murder of seven-year-old Athena Strand. Horner, a former FedEx driver, abducted Athena while delivering a Christmas gift to her home in November 2022. The jury deliberated for nearly three hours before delivering the death sentence. Athena's family expressed their grief and anger, while the district attorney described Horner as a symbol of societal evil. A Texas jury has sentenced Tanner Horner, a 34-year-old former FedEx driver, to death for the kidnapping and murder of seven-year-old Athena Strand. The horrific crime occurred in November 2022 when Horner, while delivering a package containing a Christmas gift of Barbie dolls to Athena's home in Paradise, Texas, abducted the young girl, placed her in his truck, and brutally killed her. Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping just hours before his trial was set to begin on April 7. The jury, composed of an equal number of men and women, deliberated for nearly three hours before delivering the death sentence. Horner showed no emotion as the verdict was read. Athena's uncle, Elijah Strand, confronted the killer in court, declaring that Horner was 'nothing' compared to Athena's enduring legacy.He emphasized that Athena's name would be remembered and celebrated, while Horner would be forgotten. The district attorney, James Stainton, described Athena as a 'warrior' for enduring the traumatic ordeal before her death in the back of Horner's FedEx van. During closing arguments, Stainton displayed the shoes Horner wore on the day of the murder, stating, 'This is what it took to beat the life out of her.' He argued that Horner's actions exemplified why the death penalty exists, calling him a symbol of the evil in society. Horner will now be transferred to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit in West Livingston, Texas, where inmates on death row are held. His execution date has not yet been set. Jurors, some of whom were visibly emotional, listened to excerpts from over an hour of video and audio recordings capturing Athena's final moments.Previous evidence revealed that Horner tried to engage Athena in small talk, asking her age, school, and teacher's name before abducting her. Audio recordings showed Athena questioning her kidnapper, asking where they were going and why she had to remove her shirt. She cried for her mother, and Horner responded by shushing her. The prosecution highlighted Horner's calculated actions, including his attempt to justify his crimes by claiming he has autism.The case has left Athena's family with profound grief and unanswered questions, as they struggle to honor the memory of a bright, kind-hearted child whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence