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

[su5ie]

I think that this is one of the most difficult trials to follow. And the visceral pain expressed by Athena's parents was really difficult to see and feel. The fact that this murder evidence is absolute, with a recording of the crime, is indescribable.

I don't see this justification and love fest for TH is going to change the jurors decision. JMO.

I think that is what distinguishes it from other cases ,the audio and cctv give a visual into how horrific a murdered child's last moments were .

In other similar crimes I blame my imagination for conjuring up nightmares and I can bat them away

But with Athena's murder it's a once you see and hear her that can never be erased

Just sentence him already

 

[iamshadow21]

Imagine being a defense attorney who watch that and still being like - yeah I’ll talk about his childhood and trauma.

We have to let him have a defense but I just can’t imagine being that attorney. Is this an appointed attorney?

I don't like the approaches a lot of defense attorneys use, don't get me wrong, but in a case like this, a defense attorney's job is literally to save their client's life. That's it. A life sentence without parole is a win. That's what they're doing, trying to save his life.

If you're going to have the death penalty, you have to have people who are willing to not only represent the worst of humanity, but do everything they can to save them from execution.

Without that counterweight to the state, any illusion that there's any fairness or rights surrounding capital punishment is dispelled. It becomes about vengeance without any possibility of mercy and not justice. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't people out there who deserve it, but due process exists for a reason, especially when someone's life is in the balance.

MOO

 

[BUF]

The defense then asked Mrs. Horner if she was angry with Tanner Horner, knowing what he pleaded guilty to.

"I am so mad at him. I want to just tear his ass up... She was just a baby," she said through tears.

When asked if she still loved Tanner, she replied, "Of course, I love my son. I don't love who did that, though. I don't know who that was."

After that exchange, the defense passed the witness. The court took a short break so Mrs. Horner could compose herself, then prosecutors began their questioning.

The prosecution asked more questions about Tanner Horner's upbringing, then asked Mrs. Horner what her understanding was of what happened in the case.

"At first, I believed what my son told me," she said.

"And what did he tell you?" the prosecution asked.

"That he abducted the little girl, he panicked and strangled her," Mrs. Horner said.

Mrs. Horner acknowledged that she had watched the live stream of the trial, and the prosecutor asked what her understanding is now.

"I don't know what to say, I'm so sorry," she said, sobbing.

Mrs. Horner was then excused from the stand.

Tanner Horner's mother takes stand as defense begins case to avoid death penalty in Athena Strand murder

 

[BUF]

I caught a minute, did she say she needed to go to the hospital after no redirect?

Yes she did. She said if anything more to do it now and not call her back as she needs to go to the hospital.

Guess it’s about this… when she first got on the stand the defense attny asked her how she was feeling. She said she was in a lot of pain as she just had two neck surgeries and the pins they put in were falling as they spoke (doubt that).

 

[mickey2942]

I wonder if TH will have anything to say.

 

[Megnut]

I wish the State hadn't cross examined TH's mother.

That wasn't really even testimony. It was an impact statement, and should have been presented as such.

Rough childhood? I'll genuinely sorry about that. But he then chose to terminate another child's childhood, in the most horrific way imaginable.

IMO the Defense put her on the stand because she's a sympathetic character and a human capable of caring. IMO they are hoping that the jury will identify with her and grant a mercy to him intended for her.

JMO

 

[MsMarple]

I think that this is one of the most difficult trials to follow. And the visceral pain expressed by Athena's parents was really difficult to see and feel. The fact that this murder evidence is absolute, with a recording of the crime, is indescribable.

I don't see this justification and love fest for TH is going to change the jurors decision. JMO.

I agree that it’s an horrific case but I also remember equally horrific cases during my time here. Teghan Skiba still haunts me as does Erica Parsons, Gannon Stauch and the list goes on.

So many abuses of sweet, innocent children, sometimes preventable sometimes not. I often worry about what we could have done better but sometimes it’s out of our control.

I remember my youngest daughter saying that women are raped because they were in the presence of a rapist. The same could be said for child murderers. A child is killed because they crossed paths with a murderer.

Sigh.

 

[browneyes]

Yes she did. She said if anything more to do it now and not call her back as she needs to go to the hospital.

Guess it’s about this… when she first got on the stand the defense attny asked her how she was feeling. She said she was in a lot of pain as she just had two neck surgeries and the pins they put in were falling as they spoke (doubt that).

Excuses, excuses. Counter her behavior to Athena’s brave parents. Apple/Tree for TH. IMO

 

[browneyes]

I agree that it’s an horrific case but I also remember equally horrific cases during my time here. Teghan Skiba still haunts me as does Erica Parsons, Gannon Stauch and the list goes on.

So many abuses of sweet, innocent children, sometimes preventable sometimes not. I often worry about what we could have done better but sometimes it’s out of our control.

I remember my youngest daughter saying that women are raped because they were in the presence of a rapist. The same could be said for child murderers. A child is killed because they crossed paths with a murderer.

Sigh.

I agree. I’ve been around a long time. Jessica Lunsford was another difficult case to follow. I think the video of TH, even just the before and after of this one, makes it difficult. Watching him acting so nonchalant after the crime is horrible. All true crime is very sad to follow because we try to understand the why and never really get an answer. Hopefully, the jury will give TH the DP. He deserves nothing less, IMHO.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2047111125301329924

 

[Knox]

I wish the State hadn't cross examined TH's mother.

That wasn't really even testimony. It was an impact statement, and should have been presented as such.

Rough childhood? I'll genuinely sorry about that. But he then chose to terminate another child's childhood, in the most horrific way imaginable.

IMO the Defense put her on the stand because she's a sympathetic character and a human capable of caring. IMO they are hoping that the jury will identify with her and grant a mercy to him intended for her.

JMO

I didn't think she was a sympathetic character, but I agree with everything else you said.

 

[su5ie]

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Wtf , no sympathy from me , every killer was a child once , what makes his defence think he is so special , I hope the jury don't soften

 

[Niner]

Thursday, April 23rd:
*Trial continues/Penalty Phase (Day 10) (@ 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 1-8 (4/7-4/16/26) & thru 4/21/26 reference post #1691 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...actor-tanner-horner-paradise-2.649712/page-85
4/22/26 Wednesday, Trial/Penalty Phase Day 9: Defense witnesses: Dr. John F. Edens, PhD. [Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University]. Melissa Horner [Tanner’s mother]. Dottie [Tanner’s great aunt]. Trial continues on Thursday, 4/23/26.

 

[Bbgiraffe]

This guy makes me so mad. What right did he have regardless of whatever happened to him in his life to torture and murder a 7 year old girl who was just excited to play with her "i can be anything" Barbies. Now she will never get to be anything she wanted to be because of him. How much more innocent can you get than a little girl playing with Barbies. To be brutalized by this person and the mom did not help his case AT ALL. Seemed like excuses when there is no excuse for any of this behavior.

WHILE SINGING JINGLE BELL ROCK APPARENTLY TO DROWN OUT HER SCREAMS. SICK.

 

[Leilei]

Watching Court TV, another blurred witness being sworn in.
They're having audio issues in court.
IMO.

 

[Megnut]

 

[shotgun09]

Good Morning
First witness today is blurred again, a paternal aunt? No name given as of yet.
Terri Horner ( Tanner's Father ) is being accused of SA, among other things. She is airing all her families dirty laundry. Lovely....

 

[Megnut]

Generational poverty, criminal behavior, drug abuse.... but they all managed not to steal any little girls and SA them to death.

JMO

 

[shotgun09]

Looking at the blurred image, I am seeing a version of "Granny Clampett'. LOL White-ish hair, pulled back in a bun. Goodness.

 

[tlcya]

she saw TH once when he was a baby, once when he was five years old, and once again after he was an adult.
Seems like she will be a wealth of information about the defendant.

She is here to continue the defense's practice of describing the generational abuse, drug and alcohol issues bred within TH's family tree. Apparently all of those issues go down deep all the way to the roots of that family tree. She is an open book she states, as her identity is protected, the irony is not lost on me. All the dirty laundry in the family. As described by a woman who doesn't really know TH.