A FedEx truck driver who has been accused of murdering a 7-year-old girl from Texas is now facing new charges this week for sexually assaulting a minor. Prosecutors charged 31-year-old Tanner Horner with the murder of Athena Strand earlier this month. Now he is being hit with three counts of sexual assault against a child in a completely separate case, according to reports from FOX 7.
These new charges stem from an incident that allegedly took place in 2013.
“Horner allegedly admitted to law enforcement officials that he hit Athena Strand with the delivery truck immediately after he dropped off her Christmas gift, a set of Barbie dolls called the ‘you can be anything’ collection,” the Daily Wire stated. “Law enforcement officials recovered video footage from inside the truck that showed him taking the girl into the van.”
When law enforcement officials finally located Horner, he confessed that “he had taken Athena” and that she was dead. This is a sick and twisted individual who most certainly should not be allowed to roam the streets for the rest of his life. Being someone who is a firm believer in biblical justice, I fully support this monster being put down via the death penalty.
“[Horner] stated when he was backing up in his Fed Ex truck he accidentally hit Athena with the truck, but she was not seriously injured, panicked and put her in the van,” court documents revealed. “[Horner] stated Athena was alive at that time, talking to him, and told him her name was Athena. [Horner] stated he attempted to break Athena’s neck to kill her. [Horner] stated, when he attempted to break Athena’s neck it did not work so he strangled with his bare hands in the back of the Fed Ex van.”
Maitlyn Gandy, Athena’s mother, gave remarks at a press conference saying, “Athena was robbed of the opportunity to grow up to be anything she wanted to be.”
“And this present ordered out of innocence and love is one she will never receive,” she continued. “Athena’s favorite holiday was Christmas as it is for many children everywhere. The joy Athena gave her family, and the joy she felt on Christmas is something we will never feel with here again.”
Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin stated that his office is pursuing the death penalty against Horner due to the “serious nature of the case” and because of Athena’s age. This is the appropriate response. Justice should be based on the concept of restitution. Since there is no way to make restitution for a human life, a murderer must pay for the crime by forfeiting his own.
“There may be some hurdles we may or may not be able to cross – I’ll leave that to the district attorney,” he stated.
Fact-finding website Heavy.com revealed that Horner’s social media accounts were full of photographs featuring him with a baby, which is a terrifying thought when you consider the crimes he’s being charged with.
In a post on Facebook Horner allegedly wrote that “love is stupid and not to mention completely asinine.” Someone who hates the very concept of love will never be able to fit into society. He will always be a danger to other people, a destroyer of good and a lover of wickedness and evil. It certainly seems that he wants to take away light from this world by killing the innocent.
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