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

[shotgun09]

From what I remember, the reporter in the room of WFAA has been listening to the court and attorneys discuss the timing and the remainder of the trial. The defense still has two or three expert witnesses to get through, along with the testimony of TH's grandma and his brother. This might take us through Wed/ Thurs. Then the state gets a rebuttal, with an anticipated one or two experts...taking us through Friday and possibly Monday? Then closings and deliberations. Sounds like it could be 5/5

 

[mickey2942]

Okay, I took a break here since I was sickened listening to this horrific stuff, but my question is, how long is this going to go on?! Just get it over and sentence the monster! This is torture.

I can't imagine the frustration of the jurors.

This is just beyond. They are digging up anyone. I really wanted to know when the last time the minister saw TH at church? 15, 20 years ago? Hmmm. He is 34 years old now.

 

[Dotta]

"FedEx driver who murdered little Athena Strand with his bare hands ​

used to bring sack of KNIVES to church,​

his own pastor reveals."​

Killer FedEx-driver brought KNIVES to church, his own pastor says

Tanner Horner's pastor identified only as 'Gary,' testified on Monday during day 12 of the FedEx driver's death penalty hearing.

www.dailymail.com

 

[Megnut]

"FedEx driver who murdered little Athena Strand with his bare hands ​

used to bring sack of KNIVES to church,​

his own pastor reveals."​

Killer FedEx-driver brought KNIVES to church, his own pastor says

Tanner Horner's pastor identified only as 'Gary,' testified on Monday during day 12 of the FedEx driver's death penalty hearing.

www.dailymail.com

That is distinctly not how I heard it. Wasn't it the  grandfather who did that? After the VA changed his medications and his mood? And when called out on it, he stopped attending?

 

[kaen]

"FedEx driver who murdered little Athena Strand with his bare hands ​

used to bring sack of KNIVES to church,​

his own pastor reveals."​

Killer FedEx-driver brought KNIVES to church, his own pastor says

Tanner Horner's pastor identified only as 'Gary,' testified on Monday during day 12 of the FedEx driver's death penalty hearing.

www.dailymail.com

In the Court TV stream, the pastor was referring to a change in medication that occurred for the grandfather (based on the VA making the change) which caused the grandfather to behave oddly. The grandfather began bringing a sack to church. When the overseers became concerned and asked about the bag, they realized it was knives and didn't want him to bring the knives. The grandfather didn't see any problem with the knives. He then stopped attending. It was not the defendent. The Daily Mail is wrong.

 

[libraryg]

FGS I don’t understand how so many professionals and retired professionals here in our WS membership can see so clearly yet the so-called experts on the stand miss by a mile.

Is it a case of subpar experts or is it paid experts struggling to fulfill their contracts with the defense?

My guess is $$$$.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, April 28th:
*Trial continues/Penalty Phase (Day 13) (@ 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 Days 1-11 (4/7-4/24/26) & thru 4/21/26 reference post #2329 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ctor-tanner-horner-paradise-2.649712/page-117
4/27/26 Monday, Trial/Penalty Phase Day 12: Defense witnesses: 'Blurred Marie', Special Education teacher. Blurred 'Gary', lead Pastor of a church TH attended as a 'kid'. Blurry Reba [5th grade best friends. Dated him briefly later. Reba's last contact with TH was in 2017]. Dr. Amy Fritz [Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an ASD speech-language pathologist in Florida at Cedar Tree Communications].
Closing arguments remain scheduled for 5/5/26, meaning jurors are still at least a week away from deliberations. Trial continues on Tuesday, 4/28/26.

 

[SilentHill]

Jurors also heard Monday from Horner’s former pastor, identified only as Gary. He testified about some of Horner’s struggles, but said Horner was active in the church’s youth program and fine arts and found a place on the church’s musical stomp team. Gary said Horner seemed to find a sense of belonging there.

“He was kind of a loner trying to find his place. But when he got on that team I think that gave him a sense of belonging,” Gary said.

The defense also continued to focus on Horner’s autism and developmental and social behavioral issues.

Attorneys questioned Horner’s former special education teacher and a speech pathologist who evaluated him.

The speech pathologist testified that she did not believe Horner had an alter ego and said autism could not be used as a defense for his actions.

‘There's no explaining away his violent act,' pathologist says of Tanner Horner

Live updates as jurors hear more testimony in the Tanner Horner punishment trial and move toward a life-or-death sentencing decision.

www.nbcdfw.com

I've never heard of a musical stomp team before but considering what he did to Athena it conjures up some sick images

 

[mickey2942]

Another day, yesterday was Monday. The poor jurors. I wonder what will be presented today.

 

[Megnut]

Not that I care what he thinks, but what must he think to have all these fancy attorneys and assorted witnesses -- experts included -- making excuses for him?

 

[Megnut]

I hope the State will call some experts on rebuttal to

-- show that, despite any childhood adversity, he made it through school, got a driver's license, had a girlfriend, became a father, applied for and got jobs which showed he had enough pro-social skills to get by.

-- show that he wasn't stupid, could create all manner of tall tales. He used his words quite well to trade his plea for a month of freedom in which to enjoy Christmas with his family (something he denied Athena's fault forevermore). Zero, fanfic. He used his grasp of language to develop his 'want to see my puppy' lure so that it wouldn't sound as creepy as it was -- 'do you have an adult who I can give this package to?' That is cunning. Predatory. He understands cause and effect. So much so, he left those two little girls alone.

-- show that turning the forward camera off 1.5 hours in advance reveals more cause-effect cognition. Just as covering the inward camera does. Just as delivering the missed packages the next day does. Just as calling his boss, requesting his same truck (with bio evidence AND those undelivered packages) does. It all shows executive function. He wanted to molest a little girl AND keep his job.

I wonder if LE tracked down those late deliveries. Sadly, they likely contained evidence.

-- show that TH is no one special. He had early intervention, he had people who cared about him, and chose evil away.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

Court is live, jury coming in.

Next witness is hard of hearing.... and blurry.

 

[Megnut]

Blurry witness, Michelle, lived in the same neighborhood in 2001. Her son played with TH.

 

[Megnut]

You guessed it. More 5th grade.

 

[shotgun09]

Blurry Michelle, mother of a friend of TH's....who also had Aspergers. Claims they were both bullied....

 

[Megnut]

Witness describes her son and TH as both having Aspergers and being bullied.

She's testifying to what her son said.

State objected. But the judge overruled.

 

[shotgun09]

oh geez...

All I'm hearing is..." This one time...at band camp..."
Michelle likes to spill tea.....even if it's un-true. IMO

 

[Megnut]

Witness says TH was locked out of his house a lot. Grandma worked a lot.

 

[Megnut]

"TH had to live in the shed."

 

[shotgun09]

IMO, blurry Michelle was asked to come to court, and to bring her tiny violin with her. Goodness