The Independent68%
Jurors sob as murdered 7-year-old Athena Strand’s final moments are played in court: ‘Are you a kidnapper?’ 0%
By Josh Marcus57%
4/16/2026, 10:15:29 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 16 faulty reasoning types, including Appeal to Emotion, Negativity Bias, and Availability Heuristic, with Biased Writer Voice as the most egregious example at 31.7% saturation with 145 hits. Analysis detected 831 faulty-reasoning hits from 457 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 0% and a BS Rank of 0% (0 of 21,887 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 100.00% of the article peer group.
Jurors reportedly wept and family members left a Texas courtroom as video played showing the disturbing final moments of Athena Strand, a 7-year-old who was kidnapped and killed by a FedEx driver in 2022.
In the clip, Strand reportedly could be heard asking Tanner Horner, who confessed to the killing, “Are you a kidnapper?”
In response, the driver told the child to sit down and not scream or else he would hurt her, according to the video.
Several of Strand’s family members reportedly left the courtroom during this portion of the tape.
The video captures Horner, 34, driving to Strand’s home in the town of Paradise, near Fort Worth, to deliver a package.
Strand can later be seen being lifted into the truck and then Horner drives away.
The 7-year-old later asks Horner where they are going and he responds that it doesn’t matter.
He can then be seen covering the camera inside his delivery truck.
In the video, Horner is later reportedly heard telling the 7-year-old to take off her shirt, as she says “no” and asks for her mom.
The recording continues and captures a prolonged period of banging, screaming, and crying.
Prior to playing the recording, Judge George Gallagher reportedly warned the courtroom about the graphic content of the clip.
"If you think you cannot watch it or listen to it, leave now.
Now's your time to get out," he said, according to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.
Strand’s parents, Jacob Strand and Maitlyn Gandy, left the room before the video was played and a TV feed showing the proceedings was temporarily disabled as jurors listened to the sensitive footage.
State prosecutors rested their case on Thursday.
Last week, Horner pleaded guilty, in a surprise move, shortly before the trial was set to get underway.
The jury will now consider whether to side with prosecutors and give the 34-year-old the death penalty or life in prison.
Horner claimed to police he accidentally hit Strand with his truck then killed her in a fit of panic.
He took investigators to where he left Strand’s body, according to his arrest warrant.
The prosecution alleges Horner was lying about what happened.
“The only truthful thing that Tanner Horner told law enforcement was that he killed her,” Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said during opening arguments.
Horner’s defense has asked jurors to give him a life sentence.
His attorney said the 34-year-old is autistic and had suffered from fetal alcohol exposure, lead exposure and mental illness.
“When someone’s brain is what’s injured, you don’t see it,” attorney Steven Goble told jurors.
The defense is expected to begin presenting its arguments next Wednesday.
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3speakers19%attributed speech372writer words
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100%flagged-word coverageJames Stainton
25 attributed words29% of attributed speech78% writer coverage
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