Jury reaches verdict in Tanner Horner's murder trial sentencing
The verdict came less than three hours after deliberations began on Tuesday morning.
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The verdict came less than three hours after deliberations began on Tuesday morning.
The defense team closed with Jolie Brams, a forensic psychologist who was asked to evaluate Horner's developmental history.
She took a major role in raising Horner due to his mother serving time in jail and drug use.
Day 14 of the Tanner Horner trial featured experts and a jailhouse witness as jurors weigh death or life without parole.
Jurors first heard from a neighbor who described Horner as a bullied child who struggled to fit in.
In this punishment phase of the trial, the defense is trying to humanize Horner for the jury.
Tanner Horner's defense attorneys are trying to convince a jury to spare him from the death penalty.
Mrs. Horner said Tanner had a hard time making friends and was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and ADHD.
On Monday, the court moved into what's known as the voir dire phase for expert witnesses.
The video shows Horner driving by Athena Strand's home the day after her murder, getting frustrated that the road was blocked.
Athena Strand's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, took the stand Wednesday afternoon, facing her daughter's killer in one of the most emotional moments of the trial so far.
Jurors hear new testimony, past allegations and search history, including "Do FedEx truck cameras constantly record?" in Tanner Horner's trial.
Testimony and interview footage on Day 3 of Tanner Horner's capital murder trial pulled back the curtain on evidence.
A call for prayer in Paradise, where Athena Strand was kidnapped and murdered in November 2022.
A chilling twist in court, testimony reveals Tanner Horner repeatedly invoked an alter ego, "Zero," as investigators worked to uncover the truth in the Athena Strand case.
Sgt. Job Espinoza said the detail Horner provided about the van prompted him to start looking for video evidence.
The man accused of the killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand will soon face a jury and could face the death penalty if convicted.
November 30 marks 3 years since 7-year-old Athena Strand disappeared from her home in Paradise, Texas.
The Texas House passed an "Athena Alert" bill on May 9, allowing law enforcement to quickly issue a regional alert when a child goes missing without confirmation of an abduction.
Athena's Alert, or House Bill 3556, aims to alert the public about missing children faster.
The former FedEx driver accused of kidnapping and killing Athena Strand has pleaded not guilty to aggravated kidnapping and capital murder.
Horner was indicted on Feb. 16 for aggravated kidnapping and capital murder of a person under the age of 10.
A former FedEx contract driver accused in the kidnapping and killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand was indicted on Feb. 16 for his alleged crimes.
The three charges, filed in Tarrant County, appear unrelated to Strand's death.
Jacob Strand, the father of the Wise County girl who was killed by a Fedex driver earlier this month, has filed a lawsuit against the man accused of murdering her, Fedex, and the contractor he worked for.
