OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11: 11 PM AT – Friday, December 9, 2022
The FedEx driver accused of killing seven-year-old Athena Strand in Texas during his shift confessed to authorities that she was still alive after accidentally backing into her.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit released on Thursday, 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner killed Athena after he panicked because “she was going to tell her father about being hit by the FedEx truck.”
He told investigators that Athena was not seriously injured and that he had even spoken to her in his van to which she told him her name. This statement was proven true, as the FedEx truck was equipped with cameras that captured one-minute clips.
She was reported missing by her mother an hour after the incident. A large search team composed of 200 volunteers from the community was formed.
On Friday, authorities found Athena’s body southeast of the city of Boyd, a city about 11 miles away, after being led by Horner.
Horner is being charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. In addition, his bond is set at $1.5 million.
Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, told media reporters that Horner was delivering Athena’s Christmas present, You Can Be Anything Barbie dolls, shortly before she was killed.