urors were left sobbing in the courtroom as chilling audio captured Athena Strand’s final moments before the 7-year-old’s killer was sentenced to death.

On May 5, Tanner Horner, the former FedEx driver who kidnapped and murdered Athena Strand in 2022, was sentenced to death after a weeks-long trial in Texas that forced jurors to hear disturbing evidence tied to the child’s final hours.

Athena disappeared from her home near Paradise, Texas, on Nov. 30, 2022, after Horner reportedly stopped at the property to deliver a Christmas package during his route for FedEx. Two days later, her body was discovered not far from the family’s home.

Horner later pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and capital murder, but the trial still moved forward so a jury could decide whether he should receive the death penalty.

Judge warns court
One of the most emotional moments came when prosecutors played audio captured inside Horner’s delivery truck shortly after the child was forced into the vehicle.

Before the recording was played, Judge George Gallagher warned everyone inside the courtroom about the disturbing nature of the evidence.

“If you think you cannot watch it or listen to it, leave now. Now’s your time to get out,” the judge said, according to USA Today.

Jurors stayed but Athena’s parents chose to leave the courtroom before the recording started.

‘Are you a kidnapper?’
The video showed Horner arriving at Athena’s home before stepping out of the truck and looking around the property. A short time later, Athena appeared walking behind him as he headed back toward the vehicle. She was then seen near the truck looking inside before Horner lifted her into the van and closed the door behind her.

“What are you doing? Are you a kidnapper?” Athena asked Horner.

According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Athena looked confused but not scared.

As Horner pulled away from the child’s home, she stood up and asked Horner, “Where are we going?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Horner replied.

Then he covered the lens of the camera in the cabin of the truck, eliminating the video feed while the audio kept recording.

“You’re really pretty. You know that?” Horner told the girl.

Jurors sobbed
The recording continued as Horner questioned Athena about her age, her school, and her teacher.

“Is she nice?” he asked after Athena mentioned her teacher’s name.

The audio later captured Athena asking where Horner lived, to which he responded: “far away.”

BREAKING: Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver who kidnapped and murdered 7-year-old Athena Strand in Texas, has been sentenced to death. pic.twitter.com/vnkBcDHNTj

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 5, 2026

When the truck appeared to stop, Athena asked what they were doing.

“We’re going to hang out for a minute,” Horner told her.

At that point, Horner ordered the child to remove her shirt, but the little girl refused while continuing to cry and ask to go home.

Choking, screaming and crying are heard – sounds that reportedly suggest Horner was hurting Athena.

As the truck moved again, Athena screamed in the background while “Jingle Bell Rock” played loudly on the radio.

Responding to her cries, Horner repeatedly yelled at her to shut up while threatening to hurt her further.

According to NBC DFW, jurors were sobbing and visibly shaken after witnessing the final moments of the little girl.

Dumped Athena’s body in nearby river
Prosecutors revealed that Athena fought back as Horner made repeated attempts to kill her inside the truck. Before he dumped the child’s body in water near the Trinity River, Athena had died from blunt force trauma, strangulation, and smothering.

The recording later captured Horner coughing heavily – possibly even vomiting – before he uncovered the camera lens. He continued driving while smoking a cigarette, stopping at a store where he picked up paper towels and a spray bottle of cleaning solution that he used to scrub the cab of the FedEx truck.

Then he called his boss and asked to use the same truck for deliveries the next day.

“It kind of smells like barf in here,” he says. “I guess I just ate something bad earlier.”

‘You will face the wrath of God’
The heartbreaking recording became central to the prosecution’s case as jurors decided Horner’s fate.

And less than three hours later, the jury had reached its final decision.

Horner was sentenced to death by lethal injection.

After his sentence was announced, Athena’s uncle stood before the court and described the devastation left behind by her murder.

“There are no words that truly capture the devastation that Tanner Horner caused us and in our family. What he took from this world was not just a child. He took a life, a future, and a piece of every single person who loved her…And we are left trying to honor the beautiful little girl whose life was taken in the most senseless and horrific way,” Elijah said, per NBC News.

Addressing Horner, he then said: “You will face the wrath of God. I want you to know that you are nothing. You are a footnote in Athena’s story. Her name will forever be remembered. Her name will forever be celebrated, and everyone will forget you. No one’s going to remember you after this.”

Please keep Athena Strand’s family in your thoughts as they continue to live with this unimaginable loss. Leave your condolences and best wishes in the comments – and share this story so others can do the same.