The driver of a FedEx van in Texas, accused of killing and abducting a 7-year-old girl last week, told authorities that he accidentally hit her with his van while making a delivery at her home, according to the arrest warrant obtained on Thursday.
According to him, the warrant stated that Athena Strand did not sustain significant injuries when he accidentally struck her while reversing. However, Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, became anxious and decided to place her in his van. He mentioned her name, and she engaged in conversation with him.
The investigator said that Athena left the body at the location mentioned in the warrant. Horner said that he had the van with him and her body was strangled. He mentioned that he didn’t attempt to break the girl’s neck when he first tried to strangle her. Horner stated that he didn’t want to tell her father what happened or tell him about Athena’s actions.
Athena was reported missing from her stepmother and father’s home in Paradise, a town located about 60 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Dallas. After two days, she was found dead on December.
With his bail amount set at $1.5 million, Horner remained incarcerated on Thursday for the charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. The jail records did not indicate the presence of a lawyer who could advocate for him.
Maitlyn Gandy, the mother of Athena, spoke at a news conference outside the Wise County courthouse in Decatur on Thursday, and she said that the package dropped off by Horner was an amazing Christmas present for the little girl that everyone wanted to know.
Gandy expressed, while standing next to the gift, a package of “You Can Be Anything” Barbies, “I was deprived of witnessing her maturation.”
Sheriff Lane Akin has stated that after Akin was abducted, she claimed to have been murdered approximately “an hour or so” later. It was evident from the early stages of the investigation that a package had been delivered to the young girl’s residence around the time of her disappearance.
The investigators discovered that the van which delivered the package was equipped with a video, as mentioned in the warrant. They also learned that the delivery driver and the van were contracted by FedEx, and the employees working for the contracting company were responsible for delivering packages.
Athena confessed and was found dead, Horner informed investigators that he had spoken to her when the warrant was issued. He talked to her in the van and saw a young girl who resembled Athena being taken by the driver. The FBI employee, who then watched the video from the van, could see that.
Gandy mentioned that Athena was scheduled to come back to her in Oklahoma following the Christmas vacation.
She expressed that she was not ready to be close to anywhere, as she will not even be at home, because she will be coming in an urn and Athena will be cremated instead, now.
Gandy also mentioned that her daughter adored dancing, singing, and every type of animal, including dogs, cats, horses, lizards, and chinchillas. Furthermore, her daughter was fond of school and cherished her friends while she was in the first grade.
Gandy mentioned, “She was her father’s offspring.” “She mentioned that Athena adored flowers and was also unafraid to join “in the dirt with the boys.”
Gandy expressed, “I will never behold her vibrant azure eyes or her mischievous grin ever again.” “I will never have the opportunity to listen to her utter, ‘I adore you, Mommy.'” “I will never have the opportunity to style her hair again or to embrace her as she slumbers.”
Athena, who wore pink, remembered the night of Tuesday vigil in Paradise where she gathered many mourners to honor her daughter. She saw people wearing pink everywhere and went missing from the moment Athena took action. The community thanked her, saying “they flew into action.”
“I request everyone to embrace your little ones just a little more tightly for me,” Gandy expressed.