Ex-delivery driver faces possible death sentence after admitting murder of girl, 7, he abducted in van

A former FedEx delivery driver is facing a possible death sentence after admitting the murder of a seven-year-old girl.

Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder on the opening day of his trial in Texas for the killing of Athena Strand on Tuesday.

Horner, who abducted the girl while delivering a Christmas gift to her home in the town of Paradise, near Fort Worth in 2022, faces either the death penalty or life in prison.

Her body was found several miles from her home two days after she was reported missing, following a search involving 200 people.

Horner told investigators that he strangled Athena after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery.

Athena wasn't seriously hurt after he hit her while reversing, but he panicked and put her in his van, he said.

Horner said he didn't want her to tell her father what happened, so he first tried to break the girl's neck and when that didn't work, he strangled her with his hands in the back of the van, an arrest warrant said.

He later took investigators to where he'd left Athena's body, according to the warrant.

Wise County District Attorney James Stainton dismissed Horner's version of events in his opening statement, saying the "only truthful thing that Tanner Horner told law enforcement was that he killed her".

Mr Stainton told jurors it would be hard for them to keep up with the defendant's claims, as "it is lie upon lie upon lie upon lie".

The prosecutor told the court the idea that Horner hit her with his vehicle and panicked was "an absolute lie", as the little girl was unhurt when Horner put her into the vehicle.

Mr Stainton said: "The first thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up and puts her in that truck... he leans down and he says, 'don't scream, or I'll hurt you'."

"He says that twice."

Jurors were shown a picture of Athena taken from a video inside the delivery truck. She was still alive and sitting on her knees behind the driver's seat.

Mr Stainton said Athena fought Horner, and his DNA was found under her fingernails. He also said Horner's DNA was found "in places where you shouldn't find DNA on a seven-year-old girl".

Ashley Strand, Athena's stepmother, told jurors that the package Horner had dropped off was a Christmas present for Athena - a box of "You Can Be Anything" Barbies.

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Defence lawyer Steven Goble admitted the evidence against Horner was "overwhelming" and "terrible", but told jurors that Horner's mother drank while she was pregnant, that he has autism and suffered from "various mental illnesses throughout his life" in addition to being exposed to a "massive amount of lead".

Jurors will decide whether he will be put to death or jailed for life without parole.

(c) Sky News 2026: Ex-delivery driver faces possible death sentence after admitting murder of girl, 7, he ab