Nationwide
“I used to be robbed of the possibility to see her develop up,” Athena Strand’s mom stated as she stood subsequent to the reward, a field of Barbies that learn “You will be something.”
A makeshift memorial for Athena Strand, after a memorial service at Cottondale First Baptist Church in Paradise, Texas, on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning Information through AP
The FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old woman in Texas final week informed authorities he strangled her after by chance hitting her together with his truck whereas making a supply to her dwelling, based on an arrest warrant obtained Thursday. .
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, informed investigators that Athena Strand was not significantly injured after he struck her as she was reversing, however panicked and pulled her into his truck. She stated she was speaking to him and informed him her identify, based on the court docket order.
However Horner stated he did not need her to inform her father what occurred, so he first tried to interrupt the woman’s neck and when that did not work, he strangled her together with his arms behind the truck, the warrant says. . The warrant stated that Horner led investigators to the place the place he had left Athena’s physique.
Athena was discovered lifeless on Dec. 2, two days after she was reported lacking from her father and stepmother’s dwelling in Paradise, a city of fewer than 500 individuals about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Dallas.
Horner was arrested final week on costs of capital homicide and aggravated kidnapping and remained in jail Thursday with bail set at $1.5 million. Jail information didn’t record an legal professional who may converse on his behalf.
Athena’s mom, Maitlyn Gandy, spoke at a information convention Thursday exterior the Smart County Courthouse in Decatur, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of Paradise. She stated the package deal Horner left that day was a Christmas current for the “superb little woman” she needed everybody to find out about.
“I used to be robbed of seeing her develop up,” Gandy stated as he stood subsequent to the reward, a field of Barbies that learn “You will be something.”
Smart County Sheriff Lane Akin stated they knew all alongside {that a} supply had been made to the woman’s dwelling across the similar time she went lacking. Akin has stated that she was killed an “hour or so” after she was kidnapped.
Working with staff of the contracting firm that was delivering packages for FedEx, investigators decided which van and driver made the supply, based on the order. Investigators additionally discovered that the van that delivered the package deal was geared up with video, based on the warrant.
An FBI worker who later considered video of the van was capable of see that the motive force had introduced a lady resembling Athena into the van and had spoken to her. The warrant stated that when investigators situated Horner, he informed them Athena was lifeless and confessed.
Gandy stated Athena was able to return dwelling to Oklahoma after Christmas break.
“Now, as an alternative, Athena can be cremated and are available dwelling in an urn as a result of I am not even, I am not even near being able to let my child go,” she stated.
Gandy stated that her daughter, who cherished college and her associates in first grade, additionally “cherished to bop, sing and all of the animals: canines, cats, horses, lizards and chinchillas.”
He stated that Athena cherished flowers and was additionally not afraid to “get within the mud with the youngsters.” “She was her father’s daughter,” Gandy stated.
“I’ll by no means see his brilliant blue eyes or his smirk once more,” Gandy stated. “I’ll by no means be capable of hear her say, ‘I really like you, Mommy.’ I’ll by no means be capable of comb her hair or maintain her whereas she sleeps once more.”
She thanked the neighborhood, saying they “spoke into motion” from the second Athena went lacking and has been seeing individuals in every single place carrying pink in honor of their daughter. At a vigil Tuesday night time in Paradise, lots of the mourners gathered to do not forget that Athena wore pink.
“I ask everybody to carry your little ones a bit of tighter for me,” Gandy stated.