FedEx driver arrested for kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Texas girl, Athena Strand

After reportedly snatching a Texas girl from her home driveway earlier this week and killing her, a FedEx driver was detained and charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to officials. Athena Strand, 7, was last seen on County Road in the city of Paradise on Wednesday night. According to Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin, she was found dead on Friday around 200 yards from her home. Akin stated, "It hurts our hearts to know that that child died. So much so that she is on her way now to the medical examiner's office and there's a Texas ranger in front of her, and there's a Texas ranger behind her. This community does not like losing our children. And we can see it because of all the people who came out and helped us throughout this ordeal." Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, a private contractor, was located after authorities received a tip, according to local station KDFW. He is currently being held on a $1.5 million bond, the station adds. They added that he admitted to the murder.

BREAKING: The body of 7 year old Athena Strand was found earlier this evening. Sheriff Lane Akin giving a live update #FOX4 pic.twitter.com/itEskzWHeC

— Macy Jenkins (@MacyJJenkins) December 3, 2022

Details about the case

Following the girl's disappearance from her home on Wednesday, authorities conducted a search of Wise County before the Texas Department of Public Safety issued an AMBER Alert on Thursday. Also Read: Mother tied own kids with zip ties, forced to drink bleach & Kept hungry in Houston According to sources, Akin earlier claimed Strand's stepmother reported the child missing on Wednesday after finding she was not in her room and looking for her for an hour. In addition, the search for Strand involved numerous agencies, a K-9 unit, and 200 volunteers who combed 50 acres of land for the missing youngster. Furthermore, according to the jail's website, Horner, a resident of Ft. Worth, is currently booked at the Wise County jail. FedEx posted on Twitter, "Our thoughts are with the family of Athena Strand during this most difficult time. Words cannot describe our shock and sorrow surrounding this tragic event. We continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities." [caption id="attachment_68801" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Image: UNCREDITED/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK[/caption] Moreover, Maitlyn Gandy, the mother of Athena Strand, has since started a GoFundMe campaign. Of its current $50,000 goal, the crowdfunding campaign has already raised more than $35,000. According to a post on GoFundMe, "All donations are being allocated for justice for Athena. We are greatly moved by all of the support shown in the community. Please continue to pray for comfort for the families and first responders and that our goal forward will be to attempt to get justice for Athena and closure for her family."

What's more

Athena was described by Gandy as an "innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet" in a statement she shared with friends on Facebook after learning of her death. She also said that she was kidnapped by a "sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason." She wrote, "I don't want her to be the girl known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster. I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me. I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is." The "hundreds if not thousands of volunteers" and law enforcement who assisted in finding her this week were also acknowledged by her mother. In another post, she stated, "It takes a special kind of person and whether a child is yours or not, working crime scenes involving children are hard. Thank you for finding my baby. I know everyone wishes this would have ended differently." Lastly, per Akin, Athena's cause of death is still under investigation.