Tanner Horner pleads guilty in Athena Strand death trial
WFAA • • nation
Key Points:
- Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges in the killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand, just moments after his trial began in Tarrant County.
- The trial was moved from Wise County to Tarrant County by Judge George Gallagher due to concerns about Horner receiving a fair trial in Wise County.
- Horner admitted to striking Athena with his delivery van, kidnapping, and strangling her out of fear she would tell her father about the incident.
- His defense team has requested that the death penalty be removed, citing Horner's Autism Spectrum Disorder as a factor that reduces his moral blameworthiness.
- The defense also challenged the admissibility of data obtained from Horner's phone, arguing it should not be used at trial.
 { path { fill: %23EEEFE9 } })
