Athena Strand – latest updates: Suspect Tanner Horner’s Instagram posts emerge as kidnap and murder motive unclear

In a press release to Fox4, FedEx mentioned: “Phrases can not describe our shock and sorrow on the experiences surrounding this tragic occasion.

“Before everything, our ideas are with the household throughout this most tough time, and we proceed to cooperate absolutely with the investigating authorities. Presently, any additional questions ought to be directed to regulation enforcement.”

Authorities initially mentioned Mr Horner was from the Lake Price space. The Lake Price Metropolis police chief said in a tweet that he lived close to the lake itself.

A Fb account that seems to belong to the suspect urged he was a father of 1, engaged to be married, and was a vocalist in an area band.

Based on Wise County Jail records, 31-year-old Tanner Horner was booked at 2am on Friday on one depend of capital homicide of an individual below 10 and aggravated kidnapping.

His bond was set at $1.5m.

Mr Horner has labored as an Uber driver, in accordance with experiences, and posted on social media about being a musician.

Right here’s every little thing we all know concerning the case:

Athena was final seen alive at her dwelling on the 200 Block of County Rd 3573 in Paradise, at about 5.40pm on Wednesday.

Her stepmother reported her lacking round an hour later, sparking an enormous search involving a number of native, state and federal regulation enforcement businesses who used canine items and helicopters with thermal imaging.

Sensible County Sheriff Lane Akin introduced at a late night time press convention on Friday that Athena’s physique had been discovered and a FedEx driver Tanner Horner had been arrested.

The suspect allegedly confessed to abducting Athena and murdering her about an hour later earlier than disposing of her physique, Mr Akin instructed reporters.

Tanner Lynn Horner’s neighbours have shared their shock and horror on the information that he’s suspected of killing Athena Strand.

The neighbours mentioned that Mr Horner lived together with his grandmother and mom within the west Fort Price neighbourhood and that he would depart for weeks at a time earlier than returning dwelling.

The heartbroken mom of Texas schoolgirl Athena Strand has described the suspect who allegedly confessed to her homicide as a “sick, merciless monster”.

In a Fb put up on Saturday, Athena’s mom Maitlyn Gandy wrote that she was struggling to explain “the ache and absolute anger” that she felt in the direction of the alleged killer.

“My princess was taken from me from a sick, merciless monster for completely no purpose,” she wrote together with a house video taken of Athena aged three.

“Athena is harmless, stunning, variety, clever, and simply the brightest, happiest soul you would ever meet. I don’t need her to be the woman often known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster.

“I need everybody to know, each single individual on this world, that that is my child and my child was taken from me.”

The Unbiased’s Bevan Hurley has the story:

In a late night time press convention on Friday, Sensible County Sheriff Lane Akin introduced that authorities had taken a FedEx contract driver into custody.

Investigators had decided that Tanner Horner, 31, had made a drop-off close to the household dwelling across the time Athena went lacking.

Mr Akin mentioned the driving force had allegedly confessed to taking Athena and proven them the place her physique might be discovered, in a ditch round six miles out of Paradise.

They believed she had died inside an hour of her abduction, however didn’t present additional particulars on how she was killed.

“It’s one of many hardest investigations I’ve been concerned in as a result of it’s a toddler,” Mr Akin mentioned on the press convention, in accordance with Fox4.

“Any time there’s a toddler that dies it simply hits you in your coronary heart.”

Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, is accused of snatching little Athena from her dwelling in Paradise, Texas, earlier than killing her and dumping her physique in a ditch about six miles away. Police mentioned that he confessed to the heinous crime and is being held on fees of capital homicide and kidnapping.

Following his arrest, the aspiring musician’s darkish track lyrics and disturbing social media posts have emerged.

In a single Instagram put up from December 2014, he wrote: “Generally I hear her cries. Silence is the dirtiest trick in life. If im so empty then why do I really feel alive.”

The Unbiased’s Rachel Sharp has the complete story:

Sensible County sheriff Lane Akin instructed reporters that the driving force, 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner, had allegedly confessed to her abduction and homicide.

Right here’s every little thing we all know concerning the suspect and the case:

Athena’s mom Maitlyn Presley Gandy posted the video to Fb on Monday, three days after her little one was discovered useless in Paradise, Texas. The little woman was reported lacking on Wednesday (30 November) and suspect Tanner Lynn Horner is now charged along with her abduction and homicide.

Ms Gandy defined that the video of her different daughter sobbing uncontrollably for her “sissy” was taken days earlier than Athena went lacking, because the seven-year-old was visiting her father in Texas. On the time, Ms Gandy mentioned she assured the unconsolable woman that her sister can be again with them in Oklahoma quickly.

“That video of [redacted] begging for her sissy was Sunday 11/27 after we thought sissy would solely be gone a couple of days. I saved telling her, ‘it’s okay, we’ll see sissy quickly,’ not realizing how twisted our lives would develop into,” Ms Gandy wrote.

The Unbiased has the story:

The devastated grandfather of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand has mentioned that he forgives the “psycho” FedEx driver accused of abducting and killing her – but additionally needs he might have “5 minutes alone in a cell” with the suspect.

“This flesh, this man that I’m, is indignant and I need 5 minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took our Athena away from us, however there’s a tender light voice at the back of my head telling me I must forgive him,” he wrote.