An atrocious FedEx driver, Tanner Horner, was apprehended after he cruelly murdered a seven-year-old girl, Athena Strand, in his delivery van while singing a Christmas song. Horner abducted Athena from her home in Texas, where her parents had purchased Barbie toys for her in November 2022. The disturbing incident was captured on a chilling video from inside the van, where Horner was heard singing ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ as he committed the heinous act.
The tragic footage showed Horner arriving at Athena’s residence, dropping off packages, and then seizing the young girl before placing her inside the van. Despite Athena’s fearful inquiry if he was a kidnapper, Horner callously proceeded to strangle her to death. Additionally, an unsettling image presented in court depicted Athena kneeling behind Horner in the vehicle as he drove away from her family.
As the dashcam recorded the events, Horner covered the camera but the audio captured his sinister behavior. He threatened Athena, sang along to a Christmas song, and made disturbing remarks to the terrified girl. Ultimately, Horner confessed to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping just before his trial, leaving the court to determine his fate – whether he will face the death penalty or life imprisonment.
In an arrest warrant, Horner claimed he accidentally hit Athena with his van during a delivery, leading to a tragic sequence of events where he ultimately strangled the innocent child.
