THE confessed murderer of 7-year-old Athena Strand has been sentenced to death as prosecutors slammed the twisted pedophile as proof that there is “evil in society.”

Tanner Horner‘s trial in Texas spanned three weeks as jurors were tasked with deciding if he should receive life in prison without parole or the death penalty for the gruesome killing and sexual assault of little Athena.

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Athena Strand was 7 years old when she was kidnapped from the front yard of her home in Wise County, Texas, in November 2022Credit: Family Handout
 

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Killer Tanner Horner, pictured in court on Tuesday, was sentenced to death for murdering Athena in 2022Credit: AP
 

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Footage from inside Horner’s FedEx truck showed Athena moments before her deathCredit: CBS
 

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Prosecutors said Horner strangled Athena before he stripped her naked and sexually assaulted herCredit: Getty
The FedEx driver, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder on day one of his trial on April 7, and will be put to death by lethal injection.

Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said Horner’s case is the reason why the state of Texas keeps the death penalty in place.

“Tanner Horner is proof why parents hug their children a little tighter,” Stainton said during his closing arguments.

“He’s proof of why children are nervous to go play outside. He’s proof of why there’s evil in society and we could never turn our back.”

Jury sobs as footage shows terrified girl asking killer chilling last question

Horner appeared to have no reaction, looking straight ahead as he was handed the death penalty.

He only uttered a “yes sir” to the judge when being asked if he understood his rights to a lawyer if he were to appeal.

Horner looked directly at Athena’s uncle, Elijah Strand, as he read a statement after the verdict, telling his niece’s killer he was nothing.

“What he took from this world, not just a child, he took a light, a future and a piece of every single person who loved her,” the grieving uncle said.
Athena’s uncle told Horner his name would be forgotten as hers will continue to be celebrated and rememberedCredit: Facebook/ Maitlyn Presley Gandy
Stainton, the Wise County district attorney, displayed to the jurors the muddy sneakers Horner was wearing on the night he murdered Athena.

“If the facts were not bad enough, if the sexual assault wasn’t bad enough, the level of violence that one person can inflict on a child, including stomping them with a pair of shoes,” the prosecutor added.

“I don’t wonder where that tread-like print came from anymore because we know.”

Horner’s defense attorney admitted to jurors that the evidence was “overwhelming and terrible,” but tried to argue his client suffered from brain damage.

Defense attorney Susan Anderson argued that Horner showed remorse after killing Athena by confessing to the crime and leading investigators to the child’s body.

The jury sat through the brutal three-week trial where they heard emotional testimony from Athena’s parents and graphic audio from inside the FedEx truck that captured the young girl’s final moments, which caused several jurors to weep.

Stainton warned jurors that they would hear what a “250lb man can do to a 67lb child,” adding, “And when I say it’s horrible, I mean it.”

Horner kidnapped Athena from outside her home in Wise County on the afternoon of November 30, 2022 after delivering what would have been her Christmas present.

Jurors listened to the disturbing audio and how Athena fought for her life in the back of the delivery truck before she was strangled and stripped naked.

Horner confessed to investigators on bodycam footage that he accidentally hit the girl with his truck and when he couldn’t calm her down, his alter ego “Zero” took over.

He later admitted trying to snap Athena’s neck and when that did not work, he strangled her instead.

Horner claimed it was Zero who committed the vile act and dumped her body in the Trinity River.

When investigators questioned Horner about Athena’s disposed clothing, the twisted pedophile said he discarded the girl’s clothing because he found it funny.

“Are you saying you stripped her naked and threw her clothes out the window on the highway,” a deputy with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office said in the video.

“I thought it was funny,” Horner replied.

“Did you take all her clothes off her? Shirts, pants, panties – everything?” the officer pressed.

“Mm-hmm,” the sicko responded.

Texas Ranger Job Espinoza, lead investigator, testified asking Horner, “Did she scream?” to which he replied she “wasn’t able to.”

Prosecutors stressed that Athena was likely sexually assaulted after investigators found Horner’s DNA in “places where you shouldn’t find DNA on a 7-year-old girl.”

Horner displayed no emotion after he was handcuffed and removed from the courtroom on Tuesday.

In Texas, a death sentence is automatically reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

An execution date for Horner was not set as death row inmates have the right to appeal their sentence. The appeals process could usually span years, even decades.