Trial to begin Tuesday for former FedEx driver charged in killing of Athena Strand

Tanner Horner is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in the death of the Wise County 7-year-old.

What to Know

• The trial is expected to begin Tuesday morning and will be livestreamed and live blogged in this article.
• The judge has warned that the trial will include graphic testimony and video. Viewer discretion is advised.

After facing delays in 2025 due to jury selection, the capital murder trial for Tanner Horner is set to begin this Tuesday. The trial will be held at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in downtown Fort Worth.

Horner is charged with capital murder of a person under the age of 10 and aggravated kidnapping. Prosecutors said they plan to seek the death penalty if convicted.

While the crime occurred in Wise County, the case is being heard in Tarrant County.

Horner pleaded not guilty during an arraignment hearing in March 2023, after he confessed to police he'd killed the girl. According to an arrest document, Horner told police he hit her with his delivery vehicle accidentally, panicked, put her in his van, and eventually strangled her in November 2022.

Strand was reported missing by her parents, and her body was found two days later, not far from the family home. The package Horner delivered to the family was one of her Christmas presents.

Public defenders representing Horner have filed numerous motions in his defense. Most recently, a motion to remove eligibility for the death penalty was made, saying Horner is on the autism spectrum.