Victim's mother makes heartbreaking fashion statement as FedEx driver sentenced to death by lethal injection
Warning: This article contains details which some readers may find distressing.
Another heartbreaking detail has emerged from the horrific case which saw a former FedEx driver sentenced to death by lethal injection earlier this week.
Nearly four years after Tanner Horner kidnapped and murdered seven-year-old girl Athena Strand, a Texas jury ruled that a prison sentence wasn't enough for the driver, suggesting that he was likely to reoffend.
The FedEx driver who was delivering a box of Barbie dolls to Athena's house for Christmas when he abducted her, with chilling audio from inside his van capturing the moment she asked if he was a kidnapper, before he hauntingly told her to remove her clothes.
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No sexual assault charge was brought against Horner but his DNA was discovered in the child's underwear.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Athena's mother Maitlyn Gandy has been wearing pink to pay tribute to her daughter, with the family adopting the colour as a symbol of their daughter's bright personality in the years since she was murdered.
Gandy dyed her hair pink and has been wearing pink suits in previous court cases, but made the heartbreaking choice to wear black when the case concluded earlier this week, when Horner was told that he will die by lethal injection.
Athena's uncle Elijah also gave an emotional statement about the lasting impact of Horner's horrifying actions.
He said: “Athena was more than a headline. She was laughter, curiosity, kindness. She had dreams she will never get to chase. Birthdays she will never celebrate. And a life she will never get to live because of his actions.”
“There are no words that truly capture the devastation that Tanner Horner caused us and our family,” he said. “What he took from this world was not just a child – he took a life, a future, and a piece of every single person who loved her. He took a granddaughter, a daughter, a niece, a cousin, and a friend.”
“She would call me ‘Uncle Lijah,’ because she for the longest time she couldn’t say the Elijah part of my name,” he added. “It was the best thing to see her running up to me yelling ‘Uncle Lijah.’ And that’s one of my last memories I have of her. And now I get to never hear that again.
“We are left trying to honour a beautiful little girl, whose life was taken in a senseless and horrific way.”
Horner had sent the family a letter from prison apologising for his actions but in this week's court proceedings, his legal team had hid behind excuses such as mental health struggles, a troubled upbringing and an autism diagnosis as to what spurred him onto committing such a senseless crime.
The prosecuting team rightfully rejected those reasons, emphasising that millions of people in similar situations live their daily lives without ever considering anything like Horner's crimes.
Timeline of the investigation into Athena Strand’s murder
30 November 2022
Tanner Horner delivers a Christmas present to Athena Strand’s home, a box of ‘You Can Be Anything’ Barbie dolls.
Athena had got into an argument with her stepmum Elizabeth Strand, and it's believed she went outside to go to her makeshift bedroom in a converted storage shed, where she was staying during home renovations.
Horner kidnaps her. She is thought to have died about an hour after her disappearance.
CBS reports that police track down Horner the same day through digital evidence.
1 December 2022
Texas' Department of Public Safety issues an amber alert to try and find Athena. Two hundred civilians helped scour over 50 acres of land without success.
2 December 2022
Police find Athena’s naked body dumped near a river in Boyd, around nine miles from her home. Horner gives the police two false locations, before telling them where to find the body.
He originally says he ran over Athena and panicked, before admitting to killing her.
He is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping and held on a $1.5 million bond.
6 March 2023
Horner pleads not guilty during his arraignment in Wise County.
Technicalities such as who should represent Horner and concerns around pre-trial publicity are said to have slowed down legal proceedings.
7 April 2026
Horner changes his plea to guilty just as his trial is about to begin.
Jurors are instead asked if he should receive the death penalty or life in prison.
They are asked two questions. First, do you consider Horner to be a continuing threat to society? Second, are there mitigating circumstances that should exclude Horner from receiving the death penalty?
5 May 2026
Tanner Horner is sentenced to death by lethal injection.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Crime, True Crime, US News
James Moorhouse