A former delivery driver, responsible for the tragic death of 7-year-old Athena Strand, conducted an online search asking if “FedEx truck cameras continuously record” following the crime, as revealed by an expert during the second week of his capital murder trial.
The trial’s second week began with Scott Morris, an FBI digital forensic examiner, who unveiled the FedEx driver’s search history from his cellphone. Morris provided insights into the digital footprint left by Tanner Horner on December 1st, highlighting searches such as “Paradise missing girl” and inquiries about the recording capabilities of FedEx truck cameras.
Horner, aged 34, formerly employed as a delivery driver, faces accusations of kidnapping and murdering the young girl by strangulation after accidentally hitting her with his delivery van in 2022. He confessed to the capital murder charge last week in Tarrant County, Texas.
Following the murder of Athena Strand, Horner, aged 34, reportedly searched for information on whether “FedEx truck cameras constantly record,” a detail disclosed through expert testimony on Tuesday, April 14. (KDFW-TV)
On the previous Monday, Dr. Jessica Dwyer, a medical examiner, testified that the cause of Athena’s death was a combination of blunt force trauma, smothering, and strangulation.
On Monday, medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that the cause of death was blunt force injuries, smothering, and strangulation.
Under questioning from prosecutors, Dwyer said she believed the victim suffered before she died.
Addressing the lack of physical evidence of sexual trauma, Dwyer noted that while none was found, its absence does not rule out the occurrence of an assault.
Athena Strand, 7, was kidnapped and murdered by 30-year-old FedEx delivery driver Tanner Lynn Horner. Strand’s father is suing Horner, FedEx and the contractor that hired him. (Wise County Sheriff’s Office)
Prosecutors also played five separate phone calls between Horner and family members. During one call, Horner’s mother asked him what happened during the abduction.
“What did you do? Did she die on her own?” his mother asked.
“No,” Horner admitted.
“Oh my God,” his mother exclaimed.
“I know,” Horner said.
She also asked him whether he sexually abused Athena.
“Tanner, I just hope you didn’t do nothing weird to that little girl,” his mother said.
“I didn’t,” he said.
“OK. I didn’t think you did. I just know how you get,” his mother said.
“Well, actually with my medication, I barely even have a libido as it is,” Horner said.
In a call conversation with his grandmother, Horner once again denied raping Athena.
“Are you remorseful, Tanner?” his grandmother asked.
“How can I not be?” he replied. “I haven’t been on my medication for the last few weeks, and I’m feeling emotional.”
He also, according to FOX 4 Dallas, broke down on the call when discussing that he would not be able to spend Christmas with his young son.
Following the murder, Horner wrote a letter to Athena’s heartbroken family, writing: “To Athena’s family. I wanted to start by saying how sorry I am about Athena. The entire time I’ve known my legal counsel, they continued to tell me how. I don’t need to apologize, didn’t apologize, and the trial? And frankly, I can’t hold it in any longer. I can’t tell you how many countless nights I’ve stayed awake, unable to sleep. I pray for you. For all of you. So many were affected by my breakdown. Not just your family, but my own as well. You’ll never get to see your baby girl grow up. And I’m sorry,” the letter to Athena’s family said.
Tanner Horner listens during the first day of his capital murder trial at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 7, 2026. He is charged with kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand in 2022. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News)
At the start of the trial, Horner admitted to abducting Athena while delivering a package to her father’s home in Paradise, a town of fewer than 500 people about 60 miles northwest of Dallas. Her body was found on Dec. 2, two days after she was reported missing less than 10 miles away from the property.
Horner, authorities said, was delivering a package of Barbie dolls intended to be Athena’s Christmas present. She was set to return to Oklahoma with her mother after the holidays and had been staying with her father, Jacob Strand, and stepmother, Ashley Strand, in Wise County.
Former FedEx delivery driver Tanner Horner was dropping off a box of Barbies — a Christmas present for Athena Strand — to her father’s home on Nov. 30, 2022. (Varghese and Summersett Law Group)
According to the arrest warrant, Horner told investigators that he strangled the 7-year-old after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery at her father’s home. He said Athena wasn’t seriously hurt after he hit her while backing up, but he panicked and put her in his van.
Athena was reported missing, and eventually an Amber Alert was issued, leading to 72 hours of searching.
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