Episode 511: FedEx Driver Kidnaps 7 Yr Old Girl After Delivering Her Barbies Then SA's Her In Back of The Van

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35 year old Tanner Horner, a delivery driver with a route in Paradise, Texas writes a letter to the police, “Detective, my family is in danger…” 

He goes on to claim that the pants in his backpack, although they do belong to the kidnapped and murdered 7 year old girl that recently went missing in Paradise, Texas, were in fact planted there. 

But that’s just one version of the events Tanner Horner confessed to the authorities. Detectives know it’s not true but how else can they find out what really happened to Athena in the last hours of her life? 

The true extent of his crimes will not be fully known until simultaneous audio and visual footage plays at his sentencing trial; his delivery truck had an interior dash cam that was recording the entire time. 

Will Tanner Horner be given life or be put to death? This is the kidnapping, SA, and murder of 7 year old Athena Strand. 

Sources

https://www.courttv.com/news/tx-v-tanner-lynn-horner-murder-of-athena-strand-trial/

https://www.kcentv.com/video/news/local/texas/tanner-horner-sentencing-trial-jury-sees-interrogation-video-search-for-body-after-guilty-plea/500-dceb548d-119b-4bd1-9bdf-9d36406e2dc8

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/live-blog-defense-rests-in-tanner-horner-trial-closing-remarks-expected-tuesday/4020378/

https://www.kcentv.com/video/news/local/athena-strand-case-update-tanner-horner-sentenced-to-death/500-686b3553-99b0-499c-b758-2e097333f5e3

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/live-blog-tanner-horners-murder-trial-continues-following-emotional-testimony-from-athena-strands-mother/4011037/

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/tanner-horner-capital-murder-trial-athena-strand-death-day-1/287-8f30cfb0-a68e-478b-8f35-3bdf111e5f5f

https://www.fox4news.com/news/athena-strand-murder-tanner-horner-trial-recap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nqDaDmEi2E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXIXlCnoW8A

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2026/04/17/athena-strand-video-audio-played-in-court/89659759007/

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/tanner-horner-athena-strand-murder-truck-surveillance/

https://abc7chicago.com/post/athena-strand-case-former-fedex-driver-tanner-lynn-horner-pleads-guilty-killing-girl-delivery-texas-home/18855894/

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/live-blog-tanner-horner-sentencing-trial-enters-second-week/4009170/

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/08/us/texas-athena-strand-kidnapping-christmas-present

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Un15_Q7x10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WQEc2ePZzA

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas/athena-strand-tanner-horner-trial/285-8dee2587-b4e5-43b9-b7c1-24f6f7155885

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/athena-strand-trial-fedex-truck-audio-tarrant-county/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WS2yPT_Vsg

https://www.fox4news.com/news/tanner-horner-trial-livestream-athena-strand-day-4

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/tanner-horner-pleads-guilty-in-athena-strand-case-jury-weighs-death-penalty/

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/athena-strand-trial-tanner-horner-says-she-saw-him-snorting-cocaine

https://nypost.com/2026/04/07/us-news/chilling-new-photo-of-athena-grand-7-moments-before-her-death-revealed-as-killer-fedex-driver-makes-shocking-guilty-plea/

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/chilling-bodycam-confession-after-fedex-driver-killed-7yearold-girl/news-story/a008041fd0df233a3ac534f1213ee45a

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article315439216.html

https://www.fox4news.com/news/tanner-horner-trial-livestream-athena-strand-day-8

https://people.com/tanner-horner-sentencing-trial-11956246

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/athena-strand-audio-of-final-moments-played-in-tanner-horner-trial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az6KGSlovqw

https://www.courttv.com/news/mother-of-murdered-7-year-old-athena-strand-has-1-question-for-her-killer/

https://www.courttv.com/news/tanner-horner-tells-police-in-interview-he-tried-to-break-athena-strands-neck/

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/tanner-horner-pleads-guilty-athena-strand-murder-trial-shows-images-audio

https://www.foxnews.com/us/athena-strand-killer-fedex-driver-told-police-kind-tossed-7-year-olds-body-woods-video-shows

https://www.fox4news.com/video/fmc-1gaykq1g3je58mh7

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/why-theres-a-pause-in-the-tanner-horner-capital-murder-trial-for-the-death-of-athena-strand/4011431/

https://nypost.com/2026/04/30/us-news/fedex-killer-tanner-horner-claimed-athena-strand-murder-was-deal-with-the-devil/ 

Production Note

Rotten Mango has not done original reporting on this case. The stories are based on existing material (listed in show notes).

The RM team works hard to make sure everything you’re listening to is as accurate as possible and we try to use multiple sources to verify the facts. Creative liberties may be taken in certain cases during the presentation of the case. Please email us at rottenmangop@gmail.com if you have any questions!