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

[Allabouttrial]

Although a confession does not necessarily mean he pled guilty, afaik ?

Snipped by me.

No it definitely does not. Mind you, if he told them where he'd placed her can't see anyone being able to get him out of that one!

Unless of course he wasn't read his miranda rights before he told them ...

 

[vaporlass]

She may have seen the delivery truck and walked the driveway to go get the mail
What a horrific ending to a beautiful child’s life

I’m heartbroken and livid
JMO

I keep thinking that delivery was made to a neighbors home, possibly even grandmothers house? I think if she got in an argument with stepmom she would have been on the way to grandmothers house for comfort?

 

[Katerz]

What is that expression in his mug shot? It's not anger. It's not guilt, sorrow or remorse.
This monster actually looks like he's about to smile.
Am I the only one seeing that?
Someone please tell me I'm not the only one seeing that.

I’m getting Josh Duggar vibes from his mugshot.

 

[Erutan]

Snipped by me.

No it definitely does not. Mind you, if he told them where he'd placed her can't see anyone being able to get him out of that one!

Unless of course he wasn't read his miranda rights before he told them ...

bbm
*shivers*
Don't scare me !!!
Jk, I'm certain he was read his rights.

LE seem to be very careful to not make mistakes here !!!
Imo.

 

[Katerz]

I’m sure FedEx trucks have trackers, as do most transport trucks, and they know where every one of them are at all times.

I don’t usually have FedEx deliver to me, it’s usually UPS. But I know one time I was waiting on a package from UPS and I guess that truck specifically had a real time tracker on it because I could see where he was. I haven’t ever been able to see it again with any other deliveries though. I would hope that they were up to times like Amazon because I know a few people who can live track their Amazon deliveries on the truck.

You’d think if he was a predator/pedo that he would at least have previous charges or whatnot. And why did he confess so early? I’m anxious to hear more about this as it goes on. Is TX like FL where all court records and whatnot public? I believe we call it the sunshine law?

Edit:typo

 

[Erutan]

I don’t usually have FedEx deliver to me, it’s usually UPS. But I know one time I was waiting on a package from UPS and I guess that truck specifically had a real time tracker on it because I could see where he was. I haven’t ever been able to see it again with any other deliveries though. I would hope that they were up to times like Amazon because I know a few people who can live track their Amazon deliveries on the truck.

You’d think if he was a predator/pedo that he would at least have previous charges or whatnot. And why did he confess so early? I’m anxious to hear more about this as it goes on. Is TX like FL where all court records and whatnot public? I believe we call it the sunshine law?

Edit:typo

bbm
Maybe just hasn't been caught yet ?
That is freaking scary to think that he might have a trail of victims, possibly just not murdered ones !

 

[whitelilac]

I'm just disgusted by this news. This beautiful little girl's life was snuffed out by this "man," for what?! I am at a loss. He was probably delivering her Christmas present.

bbm
these words hit hard and has me in tears right now

 

[JoeFromLB]

bbm
*shivers*
Don't scare me !!!
Jk, I'm certain he was read his rights.

LE seem to be very careful to not make mistakes here !!!
Imo.

I hate to even say this, but if there was SA there's probably DNA.
The whole thing is so sickening and evil. I may have to step away from this story for a while.

 

[MsMarple]

IRRC a delivery was made to a house close by (within the area...not like nextdoor or something). The sheriff would not disclose the address of that house. When FedEx or any other delivery service delivers your package, they input into their handheld system thingie the time it was delivered. That would also be digital evidence. I do recall the sheriff, or maybe it was the FBI guy, saying they contacted FedEx and their cooperation helped them locate him. I believe during the canvassing of the homes within the 5 mile area is when they learned of the delivery and followed up with it which led to the driver and ultimately finding the precious child.

He delivered a package to Athena’s house. But yes, it probably didn’t take long to track him down as the driver. As soon as they saw the package I imagine LE investigated when it was delivered and by whom; it turned out to coincide with Athena leaving the house.

IMO Horner unknowingly led LE directly to him. Thank goodness.

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

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 3, 2022

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article269559052.html

[...]

Although Athena’s cause of death hasn’t been determined, “we do believe she died by his hand,” Akin said in an exclusive interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It does not appear that the child was hit by the FedEx truck, he said.

Complete autopsy results from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office could take a couple of weeks, the sheriff said. Investigators believe Athena died within an hour of her abduction.

[...]

Athena had been missing for about 48 hours when her body was found along the water’s edge of the Trinity River near Boyd on Friday evening. Horner confessed to the crime and told authorities where to find her body, the sheriff said.

Akin said he doesn’t expect further updates Saturday on the investigation, which is almost complete. Law enforcement is working on turning the case over to prosecutors to formally file charges.

[...]

Investigators have had conversations with the district attorney’s office about seeking the death penalty in this case, the sheriff said.

[...]

 

[Marysmith]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

I think people were focusing way too much on the word ‘argument’. My five year old talks back to me and we definitely have a back and forth when he gets in trouble, and it sometimes ends with him storming off and slamming his bedroom door. Maybe I wouldn’t use the word ‘argument’ to describe that interaction necessarily but I don’t think it’s an unusual way to describe it, especially when your child is missing and you’re panicked. MOO

Waaay too focused. Totally agree. Her step-mother was just going through everything that happened with the police to help. Maybe she told her to go outside as she was giving her a little bit of attitude or something. IMO none of that would be wrong or unusual. !! My child gave me sass at 7. And some of her friend’s gave huge sass. This is life! They have a big property so maybe by the time she searched and called everyone and went to neighbour’s, including Athena’s grandmother’s home and property, it was an hour.

 

[txsleuth70]

It's almost smug, re: mugshot. Burn, just burn.

 

[Erutan]

Athena Strand’s killing isn’t first case of FedEx drivers accused of violent crimes

FedEx drivers have been accused of horrendous crimes before.

www.yahoo.com

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said Saturday that it was a “crime of opportunity” when 7-year-old Athena Strand was kidnapped and killed this week.

FedEx driver Tanner Horner was making a delivery to Athena’s home Wednesday when he committed the crime, Akin said.

A FedEx spokeswoman said “words cannot describe our shock and sorrow at the reports surrounding this tragic event,” and “we continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities.”

This is not the first time a FedEx driver has been accused of violent crimes.
Emphasis mine.

So, not premeditated ?
I assumed it was not, when it was said in the presser that the families and the perp didn't know each other.

But regardless of that, there's ample evidence that should hopefully put him away for good.
imo.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I saw the news this morning and I know all of you all were on it BUT wow I feel bad for all the speculation on sM and dad now it seems it WAS a predator and every parents nightmare!!!!!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1598903251755495425

 

[Walela]

Snipped by me.

No it definitely does not. Mind you, if he told them where he'd placed her can't see anyone being able to get him out of that one!

Unless of course he wasn't read his miranda rights before he told them ...

The Texas Rangers would not under any circumstances ever fail to read someone their rights.

 

[Granny2SamSon]

Snipped by me.

No it definitely does not. Mind you, if he told them where he'd placed her can't see anyone being able to get him out of that one!

Unless of course he wasn't read his miranda rights before he told them ...

There is a trial in progress on YT for a border patrol officer who confessed to three murders and one attempted murder but pled NOT guilty. He is as guilty as can be and it looks like certain convictions but nonetheless he is being allowed the benefit of a trial in spite of a confession to law enforcement—videos of which were played for the jury yesterday.

 

[Deerrun]

If that's your view on dp (and that's totally fine and reasonable attitude , so no snark) but you would

Not at this time, but there could be additional charges after the ME is done taking care of her. It made me profoundly proud and profoundly sad at the same time, when the LE (forgot his name) spoke to the media last night and stated she had a Texas Ranger escort to the ME, one in front, and one in back.

Even if SA did not take place, and I hope it did not, I hope she fought as hard as she could, I think it's safe to assume SA was likely the motivating factor for him abducted her.

jmo

Agree. I was proud she was given the dignity with the escorted drive. I hope she wasn't sa'd either.

 

[mewmew]

What is that expression in his mug shot? It's not anger. It's not guilt, sorrow or remorse.
This monster actually looks like he's about to smile.
Am I the only one seeing that?
Someone please tell me I'm not the only one seeing that.

To me he looks empty, dead inside, possibly the gravity of his situation hasn’t hit him yet. Just looks totally vacant to me.

 

[Palisades]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>

I don’t know how else to describe the disciplinary space between a toddler’s temper tantrum and a fight with a teenager. A stepparent telling a child that, for example, there’s no iPad until playroom is tidied and 30min of reading is complete isn’t an argument. But *what* do you call the stepparent’s response to something like “I hate reading, I hate cleaning, and I’m going to play Roblox no matter what!”? Is a response like “keep up with that attitude and there’s no iPad all week” an “argument”? I have a lot of sympathy for the stepparent here.

An argument, squabble, disagreement, sass, backtalking, laying down the law.

Many terms used by people in talking about that kind of parent or guardian and child disagreement.

Moreso it is the child that tries to argue about a rule or something they were told to do. But debating this kind of word choice reported by the news, early in the incident, is not helpful imo.

 

[wary]

I hate to even say this, but if there was SA there's probably DNA.
The whole thing is so sickening and evil. I may have to step away from this story for a while.

And in any case, her DNA—hair, touch DNA, etc.—will be in his vehicle. (I’m assuming that he couldn’t clean it thoroughly.)

So, that establishes kidnapping—which establishes felony murder.

MOO