Jurors are determining whether to sentence Tanner Horner to life in prison without parole or death
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Athena Strand; Tanner Lynn Horner.Credit : Texas EquuSearch/Facebook; WFAA/YouTube
Tanner Horner’s mother was asked on the stand if she is mad at her son for kidnapping 7-year-old Athena Strand from her driveway on Nov. 30, 2022 and murdering her.
Replying that she is angry at him, she said, “She was just a baby,” during a live feed of the court hearing shown on NBCDFW.
Asked if she loves her son, she said, “Of course I love my son. I don’t love who did that. I don’t know who that was.”
His mother began crying and left the courtroom for several minutes. Horner looked upset when she left the room, staring at her as she was escorted out.
As PEOPLE previously reported, Horner, 34, pleaded guilty on April 7 to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in the death of the first-grader. Now jurors are weighing whether to sentence him to life in prison without parole or to death.
On Thursday, April 16, the state rested its case in the punishment phase of the trial.
The sentencing phase of the trial resumed on Wed., April 22 with defense attorneys expected to call expert witnesses who have evaluated Horner’s mental health in hopes of getting jurors to spare him the death penalty.
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Earlier on Wed., April 22, Horner’s mother testified that her son was bullied as a child and that he began hitting himself in the head when the bullying started, NBCDFW reports.
She testified that from an early age, Tanner seemed different from other children, NBCDFW reports. “I mean, he wanted to get along with people, but they just weren’t interested in having conversations with him. It was hard to watch. Very sad. They didn’t like him at all.”
Athena Strand’s Devastating Last Moments
In court on Thursday, April 16, jurors were shown video footage and heard disturbing audio recordings of the little girl’s last moments alive.
Jurors saw how moments after Horner dropped off a package at Athena’s house on Nov. 30, 2022, he opened the doors in the back of his truck, lifted her up and then put her inside, NBC DFW and the Star-Telegram report.
“What are you doing?” the little girl was heard asking him in video shown to jurors, the two outlets report. “Are you a kidnapper?”
Seen standing up and holding onto the sides of the doorway leading to the cargo area, Athena asked Horner, “Where are we going?” the Star-Telegram reports.
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Athena Strand in Tanner Horner’s FedEx truck.
NBC DFW/YouTube
“It doesn’t matter,” he replied.
He told her to sit down and be quiet or else he would hurt her.
At this point, he covered the camera inside the truck, NBC DFW reports. But audio of what went on inside was still being recorded.
Horner then asked Athena how old she was, and about her school.
The conversation took a sickening turn when he said, “You’re really pretty, you know that?”
After the truck stopped, Horner ordered Athena to take off her shirt. She could be heard saying “no,” and telling him she wanted her mother, NBC DFW reports.
Jurors then heard sounds of banging and choking and Athena screaming and crying, the Star-Telegram reports.
Some jurors were crying when they heard what was happening to the little girl, NBC DFW reports. Her parents left before the video began.
Athena, who stayed calm during her abduction and had the wherewithal to question her abductor, fought back when Horner was attacking her, prosecutors said, according to the Star-Telegram and NBC DFW.
The medical examiner said she died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation.
Her body was found in the Trinity River.
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