Former FedEx Driver Pleads Guilty in Killing of 7-Year-Old Girl
A former FedEx driver has pleaded guilty to the 2022 killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand, who was fatally strangled after being picked up during a Christmas gift delivery. Prosecutors contend that the defendant, Tanner Horner, deliberately killed the child, discrediting his initial claim of an accidental vehicle strike followed by panic. Evidence presented includes the victim’s struggle, indicated by DNA found under her fingernails, and the defendant’s DNA found in locations suggesting a violent assault. Horner now faces either the death penalty or life in prison, with the jury tasked with determining his punishment.
John Q. Hosedrinker