Athena Strand's mother reveals final words with slain child as jury weighs death penalty for FedEx driver

The parent of 7-year-old Athena Strand took the basal Wednesday successful the 2nd week of the affectional proceedings of a erstwhile FedEx operator who admitted kidnapping and murdering the young girl. 

Tanner Horner, 34, pleaded blameworthy to superior execution conscionable moments earlier his Texas proceedings was acceptable to begin, with jurors present weighing whether helium should beryllium sentenced to decease oregon beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole. 

On Wednesday, jurors heard from Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, arsenic she testified astir her last moments with her daughter, according to FOX 4. 

"Do you retrieve the past happening you said to Athena?" a authoritative asked her, the outlet reported.

ATHENA STRAND’S KILLER FEDEX DRIVER'S SPLIT PERSONAS, DEFENSE SCREAM ‘MANIPULATION,’ NOT MADNESS: EXPERT

Former FedEx transportation operator Tanner Horner admitted sidesplitting Athena Strand. (Varghese and Summersett Law Group)

"I told her that I loved her and that I would spot her connected Friday," Gandy replied. "We had a speedy drop-off due to the fact that her daddy was going to instrumentality them to the Christmas lights." 

Wearing pink, Athena’s favourite color, Gandy recalled however she instantly drove backmost to Texas from her location successful Oklahoma upon learning astir her daughter’s disappearance. 

"It felt similar I was dying," Gandy said, according to FOX 4. "I couldn't breathe, but I knew I had to support going. I astir tapped connected the brakes due to the fact that I thought I was having a bosom attack. But I conscionable told myself that if I kept going, it would beryllium OK, and I would find her." 

She past went connected to picture however she delivered the quality of Athena’s decease to her 3-year-old sister.

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Tanner Horner listens during the archetypal time of his superior execution proceedings astatine the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected April 7, 2026. He pleaded blameworthy to kidnapping and sidesplitting 7-year-old Athena Strand successful 2022. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News)

"I didn't cognize however to archer her, and I didn't deliberation I was beardown capable to archer her. So I lied to her for a agelong time. I would archer her that she was conscionable staying with her daddy for a small spot longer. And erstwhile she asked to FaceTime oregon to telephone her, I would archer her that she was astatine schoolhouse oregon she was sleeping," Gandy said. "Until astir a twelvemonth ago, she didn't cognize the full truth."

Upon being asked if she had watched the video of Horner strangling Athena to death, Gandy said she was lone capable to ticker a fewer minutes of it and apologized to the jurors who were required to spot the footage.

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A recently released photograph shows 7-year-old Athena Strand soon earlier prosecutors accidental she was abducted and killed by a FedEx operator delivering her Christmas present. (POOL via KDFW-TV)

"Not anyone successful this country too Tanner Horner asked for what's connected that video, and Athena decidedly did not," Gandy said. 

Defense lawyer Steven Goble did not transverse analyse Gandy, alternatively offering his condolences arsenic the grieving parent took the stand.

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"I americium precise atrocious for your loss," Goble said, FOX 4 reported. 

Horner admitted to abducting Athena portion delivering a bundle containing a Barbie doll to her father’s location successful Paradise successful 2022. Her assemblage was recovered connected Dec. 2, 2 days aft she was reported missing.

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Maitlyn Gandy gives a connection astir the decease of her daughter, Athena Strand, 7, astatine the Wise County Courthouse successful Decatur, Texas, connected Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022.  (Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram)

Horner initially told investigators that helium strangled the young miss aft accidentally striking her with his transportation vehicle, adding that she wasn’t earnestly injured erstwhile helium panicked and placed her successful his van. 

On Monday, aesculapian examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that Athena’s origin of decease was blunt unit injuries, smothering and strangulation, adding the young miss apt suffered earlier she died.

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Following the murder, Horner wrote a missive to Athena's heartbroken family, writing: "To Athena's family. I wanted to commencement by saying however atrocious I americium astir Athena. The full clip I've known my ineligible counsel, they continued to archer maine how. I don't request to apologize, didn't apologize, and the trial? And frankly, I can't clasp it successful immoderate longer. I can't archer you however galore countless nights I've stayed awake, incapable to sleep. I commune for you. For each of you. So galore were affected by my breakdown. Not conscionable your family, but my ain arsenic well. You'll ne'er get to spot your babe miss turn up. And I'm sorry." 

Before leaving the stand, Gandy addressed questions from the prosecution regarding wherefore she has been successful the courtroom for each time of Horner’s trial.

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"There were handprint bruises astir my daughter's neck, and due to the fact that she nary longer has a voice," Gandy said. "And I privation radical to cognize that she's not conscionable immoderate story, she's not conscionable immoderate number."

"She's not conscionable immoderate representation you spot successful a headline," Gandy added. "She was loved. She is loved. And she is missed. And she was real. And she had a life, and she wanted to live. And nary 1 tin instrumentality that from her. Not a azygous idiosyncratic tin instrumentality that from her. And I volition beryllium her face, and it volition beryllium her voice. And I volition marque definite that each idiosyncratic successful this satellite knows that she was. And we privation her successful our lives."