FORT WORTH, Texas — Authorities on Friday arrested Tanner Lynn Horner, a FedEx contract driver, and said he is accused of kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old North Texas girl after making a delivery to her home.
Horner, 31, is from Fort Worth. He does not appear to have a prior criminal record in Tarrant or Wise counties.
He was being held Friday night in the Wise County Jail on $1.5 million bond and faces charges of capital murder of a person under 10 years old and aggravated kidnapping in the death of Athena Strand. Athena’s body was found Friday evening, two days after she was reported missing by her stepmother.
Authorities said Horner has confessed to the crime. Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin would not speak to any possible motive in the kidnapping and homicide. He said investigators don’t believe that Horner knew Athena or her family.
Horner’s social media accounts say he has been an Uber driver, is a musician and graduated from Azle High School.
FedEx issued a statement late Friday.
“Words cannot describe our shock and sorrow at the reports surrounding this tragic event. First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this most difficult time, and we continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities. At this time, any further questions should be directed to law enforcement.”
Uber said Saturday that Horner has not driven on the app in months and that he has been banned from the platform.
Although authorities said at the news conference that Horner was believed to be from Lake Worth, property records show his address is in the Fort Worth city limits, on the west side of the lake.
“To be clear, the suspect does NOT reside in the City of Lake Worth, but rather near the lake itself - miles away from COLW,” Lake Worth Police Chief J.T. Manoushagian wrote on Twitter. “Please continue to lift up Athena’s family in prayer along with the officers investigating this heinous crime.”
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