FedEx Driver Tanner Horner's Shocking Christmas Plea After Athena Strand Murder
The trial of FedEx driver Tanner Horner, who abducted and murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand, heard a stunning revelation this week. Footage played in court on Thursday showed Horner making an audacious request to investigators immediately after his arrest in November 2022.
The Christmas Bargain That Was Never Granted
Horner, 34, was seen in interrogation footage telling police officers he would reveal everything about the child's death if they granted him one extraordinary concession. 'There's only one thing in this world that I want,' Horner declared during the questioning. 'I want a month.'
He elaborated on his shocking proposal, suggesting authorities could monitor him with an ankle bracelet and regular check-ins. 'If you give me a month with my family, so I can have Christmas with my son, I'll tell you everything,' Horner told investigators. Police immediately informed the suspect that his entitled request was impossible given he was under arrest for capital murder.
'Either way, that's basically my price,' Horner responded defiantly. The request was categorically denied by law enforcement officials.
The Horrific Crime and Alter Ego Defense
Horner abducted Strand from her family's home in Paradise, Texas on November 30, 2022, while delivering a box of Barbie dolls intended as her Christmas present. The seven-year-old was strangled to death in Horner's delivery truck, with her final moments captured by a microphone inside the vehicle after he covered a camera.
During separate interrogation footage shown in court, Horner presented a bizarre defense, claiming his alter ego named 'Zero' was responsible for the murder. He described feeling detached from his actions during the strangulation, saying he was 'in the back seat watching everything happen, and I'm kind of freaking out.'
Horner told police he had been experiencing severe stress during his six months as a FedEx driver and suffered repeated mental breakdowns. He claimed his alter ego 'Zero' first appeared in the summer of 2022. 'It started off as like, almost like a little devil on my shoulder kind of thing,' Horner explained to investigators.
The Gruesome Discovery and Courtroom Drama
Texas Ranger Joshua Espinoza testified that Horner's demeanor changed dramatically during interrogations when he presented as 'Zero.' 'His head goes into a sideways motion. His eyes roll into the back of the head, and he pretends to turn it to Zero,' Espinoza told the court.
The ranger explained he had to 'play his game' and address Horner as 'Zero' to locate Strand's body. Once he did, Horner directed officers to a cliff near a guardrail where they discovered the child's naked body submerged in water.
Horner initially told police he accidentally hit Strand with his truck before 'accidentally' killing her in a panic. This story quickly unraveled when investigators found truck camera footage showing Strand alive in the vehicle as Horner drove her away.
The Legal Proceedings and Sentencing Phase
Horner was scheduled to stand trial on murder charges this week after pleading not guilty, but he abruptly reversed his plea and admitted to capital murder before proceedings began. Jurors are now hearing graphic evidence to determine whether the FedEx driver should face the death penalty.
Defense attorneys have cited mental illness, autism, and childhood lead exposure as contributing factors in their arguments. The prosecution continues to present evidence of Horner's calculated actions and shocking requests following his arrest for the brutal murder of the seven-year-old girl.
The trial continues with jurors expected to hear additional testimony about the investigation and Horner's behavior both during and after the commission of this horrific crime against an innocent child.
