In a Texas courtroom in Fort Worth, intense emotions were evident as the parents of 7-year-old Athena Strand testified during the capital murder trial of Tanner Horner. On April 15 and 16, 2026, Athena’s mother and father recounted their memories of their daughter and the impact of her tragic death. Horner, 35, admitted to kidnapping and murdering Athena, who was taken outside her father’s home on November 30, 2022. The jury is currently hearing testimony to determine whether Horner should face the death penalty.
Jacob Strand, Athena’s father, described his daughter as a typical seven-year-old who enjoyed Frozen, unicorns, and mermaids, and loved playing outdoors. He mentioned that before her disappearance, Athena sang songs from the Disney movie “Frozen” constantly. During the trial, a prosecutor showed the jury a Christmas gift Horner had delivered to Athena’s house on that day—an unopened package of Barbie dolls labeled “You Can Be Anything Barbies.”
Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, also took the stand to share her last moments with her daughter. She recounted telling Athena she loved her during a brief handoff a few days before the abduction, describing it as an incomplete goodbye. Upon learning of Athena’s disappearance, Gandy drove two hours in 45 minutes to her ex-husband’s home, struggling to maintain composure despite her distress.
Athena’s body was discovered days later beneath a river crossing, naked and submerged in water. Gandy testified to her initial disbelief and grief upon receiving the news from the sheriff, who initially refused to confirm the identification due to the condition of the body. On December 6, 2022, Gandy viewed her daughter’s body with her own father. She described Athena’s injuries, noting bruises, incision marks, and discolorations, and explained how she dressed her daughter in a hospital gown and applied makeup to ease the sight for her father.
The case’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Jessica Dwyer, previously testified that Athena died from blunt force injuries combined with smothering and strangulation, evident from patterned abrasions on her face and pooling of blood beneath her upper body.
Gandy also shared the emotional toll of the case, including late-night trips to Walmart searching for clothing to fit her daughter for a memorial. She explained her motivation for attending every pretrial hearing was to represent Athena’s voice, stating, “She’s not just some story or some number—she was loved, she is loved, and she is missed.”
During the trial, a recording from inside the FedEx van Horner drove was played, capturing the child’s final moments. Media recording was paused during this presentation. Gandy expressed sorrow for everyone affected by the contents of the video and emphasized that neither she, Athena, nor anyone in the courtroom had sought such a painful revelation, except Horner.
One unresolved aspect of the case that remains a source of anguish for Gandy is the missing piece of evidence—Athena’s shirt. She pleaded for Horner to disclose its whereabouts as a small gesture of grace in understanding her daughter’s final moments. Horner has admitted to hitting Athena with his van, panicked by the possibility she might reveal what had happened, and subsequently causing her death.
Horner’s trial will continue next week with the jury excused and the media restricted from several days of pretrial evidentiary hearings before the defense presents its case. Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty following Horner’s guilty plea to kidnapping and capital murder.
The trial proceedings have brought both heartbreaking testimony and calls for accountability, as the community and family seek justice for Athena Strand.
