Athena Strand - update: Mother vows to keep slain 7-year-old’s story alive after Tanner Horner murder arrest

Following 31-year-old Tanner Horner’s arrest, the aspiring musician’s interest in dark song lyrics and disturbing social media posts have emerged.

In several social media posts, seen by The Independent, the suspect repeatedly uses a racial slur and in one he boasts about a dagger he says he received as a present.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Speaking to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, neighbours of Mr Horner said that he lived with his grandmother and mother in the west Fort Worth neighbourhood and that he would leave for weeks at a time before returning home.

“I find it just shocking it was him,” a woman who asked not to be named told the outlet.

Athena’s body was found on Friday about six miles from her home. Wise County authorities said they were led to the exact location by Mr Horner.

The Independent has the story:

Athena’s mother Maitlyn Presley Gandy posted the video to Facebook on Monday, three days after her child was found dead in Paradise, Texas.

The little girl was reported missing on Wednesday (30 November) and suspect Tanner Lynn Horner is now charged with her abduction and murder.

Ms Gandy explained that the video of her other daughter sobbing uncontrollably for her “sissy” was taken days before Athena went missing, as the seven-year-old was visiting her father in Texas.

At the time, Ms Gandy said she assured the unconsolable girl that her sister would be back with them in Oklahoma soon.

The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has the story:

Maitlyn Presley Godny, who lives in Oklahoma, said she wished she could attend all the vigils planned for her daughter across different states.

Athena was visiting her father in Texas at the time she was abducted allegedly by FedEx delivery driver Tanner Horner.

The seven-year-old girl was killed within an hour, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office said.

“I hope all of the towns light up the night for Athena [on] Tuesday,” she wrote.

“I wish I could be at all of them at one time. Her light is extraordinarily bright, help me continue to let her light shine.”

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On Friday, authorities announced they had taken a FedEx delivery driver into custody who had been at Athena’s home at the time of her disappearance.

Wise County sheriff Lane Akin told reporters that the driver, 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner, had allegedly confessed to her abduction and murder.

Here’s everything we know about the suspect and the case:

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Athena’s mother Maitlyn Gandy wrote that she was struggling to describe “the pain and absolute anger” that she felt towards the alleged killer.

“My princess was taken from me from a sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason,” she wrote along with a home video taken of Athena aged three.

“Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet. 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.”

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the story:

In a statement to Fox4, FedEx said: “Words cannot describe our shock and sorrow at the reports surrounding this tragic event.

“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this most difficult time, and we continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities. At this time, any further questions should be directed to law enforcement.”

Authorities initially said Mr Horner was from the Lake Worth area. The Lake Worth City police chief said in a tweet that he lived near the lake itself.

A Facebook account that appears to belong to the suspect suggested he was a father of one, engaged to be married, and was a vocalist in a local band.

Students and staff across several school districts in Texas wore pink in honour of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand.

Wise County Judge J D Clark said in a statement that pink was Athena’s favourite colour.

“My heart is so heavy about Athena,” the judge said.

At least 20 school districts joined in with the touching tribute on Monday.

Athena’s mother also appealed on social media for parents to dress their children in pink as a tribute to her little girl.

“I put my little girl in pink today for Athena. She said “my favorite color is pink too, we could have been friends” I’m praying so hard for you. And I’m so so sorry,” a mother wrote on Facebook.

Athena who was snatched from her father’s home and killed last week allegedly by a FedEx driver now in police custody.

Athena vanished without a trace from her home in Paradise on Wednesday (30 November).

The little girl had been dropped off from school at around 4.30pm and was last seen alive at about 5.40pm after she had a quarrel with her stepmother.

Around an hour later, her stepmother went to find the seven-year-old in her room to have dinner but she was nowhere to be found.

Athena was reported missing and, the next day, an Amber Alert was issued.

For the next two days, hundreds of law enforcement officers, family members and local volunteers combed the area desperately trying to find her as her family insisted she wouldn’t have gone off on her own.

Hopes of her safe return were then destroyed on Friday when police confirmed that her body had been discovered in a ditch around six miles from her home.

Police said that Mr Horner, a FedEx driver, aspiring musician and former Uber driver, had confessed to snatching and killing the little girl and had directed authorities to the whereabouts of her body.

Speaking at a press conference, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said that Mr Horner was delivering a package in the area at the time of her abduction.

Based on the suspect’s confession, Athena was killed within an hour of her abduction.

In a gut-wrenching social media post, Mark Strand spoke of his turmoil as he said he wants Mr Horner “to burn in hell for all eternity” but that his faith is pushing him to want to forgive.

“This flesh, this man that I am, is angry and I want 5 minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took our Athena away from us, but there’s a soft gentle voice in the back of my head telling me I need to forgive him,” he wrote.

“This flesh man, wants that psycho to burn in hell for all eternity, yet that gentle voice continues to tell me, I need to forgive him.”

“This flesh man hopes he remains blind and deaf to the message of salvation and never sets foot in the same heaven that I know in my heart my darling Athena resides in now and yet, that gentle voice persists. Why you ask?”

The Independent has the story: