The sentence in the case of the murder of Athena Strand was delivered on May 5, 2026
6 may 2026 в 16:13
The case of Athena Strand officially concluded on May 5, 2026. Tanner Horner, who stood trial for the kidnapping and murder of the 7-year-old girl, received his sentence that day following the jury’s verdict. He faced the possibility of the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of first-degree murder.
Members of Athena’s family delivered heartbreaking statements about the impact throughout the trial. Her mother, Maitlyn Gandy, spoke in April, wearing Athena’s favorite color—pink.
«She was the perfect combination of me and Jacob [Strand]», - Maitlyn said. «She loved to wear her beautiful princess dresses, but at the same time, she played in the dirt in those same dresses. She was free, wild, vibrant, and loving. She wanted to love and be loved, and that was everything».
Maitlyn also described the grief she experienced upon learning that her daughter’s body had been found nearly four years ago.
«Her ears were damaged, she had scars from cuts, and her chin was scratched», - she explained through tears. «So we dressed her in hospital clothes because I had no clothes for her, and she was naked. I looked at her body, and then I did her makeup so Jacob wouldn’t see the discoloration and how bad everything was… She was so cold, and she didn’t like the cold».
Eli Strand also delivered a victim impact statement directly to Tanner. He said, «You didn’t just take a life; you destroyed a family. You took a little girl who trusted the world and paid for that innocence with violence. You chose to inflict pain that will last for generations. You say you found God, but what you did to Athena contradicts everything you claim to believe».
Below, we explain the full case and what happened to Athena.
Athena was a 7-year-old girl from Paradise, Texas, who was reported missing in late November 2022 after disappearing from her father’s home. A frantic search effort quickly turned into a large-scale investigation involving local and federal authorities.
Unfortunately, just a few days later, in early December 2022, Athena’s body was found.
Authorities announced that Tanner, a FedEx courier who was in the area, confessed to kidnapping and murdering Athena.
According to the arrest affidavit, Tanner was working as a FedEx courier on November 30, 2022, when he delivered a Christmas package to Athena’s home. Investigators reported that he accidentally struck the girl with his truck while backing out of their driveway.
Tanner told investigators that at that moment, Athena was not seriously injured, but he panicked that she would tell her father that he had hit her with his truck. Therefore, Tanner put her in his van and strangled her to death.
Tanner was sentenced to death by a Tarrant County, Texas jury. This sentence is automatically subject to appeal in the Texas Court of Appeals
Members of Athena’s family delivered heartbreaking statements about the impact throughout the trial. Her mother, Maitlyn Gandy, spoke in April, wearing Athena’s favorite color—pink.
«She was the perfect combination of me and Jacob [Strand]», - Maitlyn said. «She loved to wear her beautiful princess dresses, but at the same time, she played in the dirt in those same dresses. She was free, wild, vibrant, and loving. She wanted to love and be loved, and that was everything».
Maitlyn also described the grief she experienced upon learning that her daughter’s body had been found nearly four years ago.
«Her ears were damaged, she had scars from cuts, and her chin was scratched», - she explained through tears. «So we dressed her in hospital clothes because I had no clothes for her, and she was naked. I looked at her body, and then I did her makeup so Jacob wouldn’t see the discoloration and how bad everything was… She was so cold, and she didn’t like the cold».
Eli Strand also delivered a victim impact statement directly to Tanner. He said, «You didn’t just take a life; you destroyed a family. You took a little girl who trusted the world and paid for that innocence with violence. You chose to inflict pain that will last for generations. You say you found God, but what you did to Athena contradicts everything you claim to believe».
Below, we explain the full case and what happened to Athena.
Athena was a 7-year-old girl from Paradise, Texas, who was reported missing in late November 2022 after disappearing from her father’s home. A frantic search effort quickly turned into a large-scale investigation involving local and federal authorities.
Unfortunately, just a few days later, in early December 2022, Athena’s body was found.
Authorities announced that Tanner, a FedEx courier who was in the area, confessed to kidnapping and murdering Athena.
According to the arrest affidavit, Tanner was working as a FedEx courier on November 30, 2022, when he delivered a Christmas package to Athena’s home. Investigators reported that he accidentally struck the girl with his truck while backing out of their driveway.
Tanner told investigators that at that moment, Athena was not seriously injured, but he panicked that she would tell her father that he had hit her with his truck. Therefore, Tanner put her in his van and strangled her to death.
Tanner was sentenced to death by a Tarrant County, Texas jury. This sentence is automatically subject to appeal in the Texas Court of Appeals
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
