Athena Strand update: Mother posts heartwrenching video as neighbours react to Tanner Horner’s murder arrest - The Independent

Candlelight vigil scheduled for Tuesday

The First Baptist Church Cottondale has arranged a Candlelight Memorial Service to let the assemblage to travel unneurotic to observe the beingness of Athena Strand.

It volition beryllium held connected Tuesday 6 December astatine 6pm astatine First Baptist Church of Cottondale successful Paradise, Texas, connected the beforehand lawn. There volition beryllium a lighted angel acceptable up for those that would similar to bring flowers, a Facebook leafage reads.

Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 16:07

Tanner Horner’s neighbours respond arsenic he’s accused of murdering Athena Strand

Authorities announced connected Friday that FedEx transportation operator Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, was taken into custody for the execution of Athena, who went missing from her location successful Paradise, Texas, connected 30 November. Wise County sheriff Lane Akin told reporters that Mr Horner confessed to sidesplitting Athena wrong an hr of her abduction.

Speaking to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, neighbours of Mr Horner said that helium lived with his grandma and parent successful the westbound Fort Worth neighbourhood and that helium would permission for weeks astatine a clip earlier returning home.

Read the afloat story:

Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 15:26

Athena’s ma acknowledgment community’s support: ‘I spot Athena successful each of you’

The parent of Athena Strand, a seven-year-old miss abducted and killed by a FedEx operator retired of her location successful Paradise, Texas, has expressed gratitude for the unwavering outpouring of enactment from the community.

Maitlyn Presley Gandy addressed the hundreds of pictures of children and adults wearing pinkish successful honour of Athena, saying she saw her small miss successful each of them.

“I emotion seeing each of the pictures of everyone successful pinkish from pinned connected ribbons and hearts, tshirts, and afloat pinkish outfits (I spot the scrubs ladies and gents!),” she wrote.

“I drove astir a spot today, everyplace I looked, I saw shades of pink. I’ve had tears, it’s a bittersweet feeling seeing each of the enactment for Athena’s legacy.”

She continued: “I cannot convey everyone enough, but I anticipation y’all know, I spot you and truthful does my Athena. I person to judge that oregon I volition break. Athena sees us. And I spot Athena successful each of you.”

Andrea Blanco6 December 2022 14:39

Motorcycle radical raises thousands for family

A radical of motorcyclists person raised thousands of dollars to assistance enactment the household of Athena Strand.

On Monday, hundreds of motorcyclists took portion successful a thrust from Azel to Paradise, Texas, successful representation of the slain seven-year-old.

Many wore pin – the small girl’s favourite colour.

Organiser Francis Chamberlin said the lawsuit raised $8,775 and that helium had received an outpouring of enactment from radical each crossed the country.

“She didn’t merit this,” helium told WFAA. “She was young. She inactive had her beingness up of her. And present she’s gone.”

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 14:00

Grandfather says helium ‘forgives’ suspect

The devastated gramps of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand has said that helium forgives the “psycho” FedEx operator accused of abducting and sidesplitting her – but besides wishes helium could person “five minutes unsocial successful a cell” with the suspect.

Mark Strand broke his soundlessness successful a heartbreaking Facebook station connected Sunday aft his granddaughter’s assemblage was discovered astir six miles from her location successful Paradise, Texas, and 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner was arrested connected charges of execution and kidnapping.

In the gut-wrenching societal media post, Mr Strand spoke of his turmoil arsenic helium said helium wants Mr Horner “to pain successful hellhole for each eternity” but that his religion is pushing him to privation to forgive.

“This flesh, this antheral that I am, is aggravated and I privation 5 minutes unsocial successful a compartment with the psycho that took our Athena distant from us, but there’s a brushed gentle dependable successful the backmost of my caput telling maine I request to forgive him,” helium wrote.

“This soma man, wants that psycho to pain successful hellhole for each eternity, yet that gentle dependable continues to archer me, I request to forgive him. This soma antheral hopes helium remains unsighted and deaf to the connection of salvation and ne'er sets ft successful the aforesaid eden that I cognize successful my bosom my darling Athena resides successful present and yet, that gentle dependable persists. Why you ask?”

Mr Strand said that helium would “probably kill” Mr Horner if helium saw him successful idiosyncratic present but that helium indispensable “choose love” for the involvement of his grieving family.

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 13:30

FedEx releases connection astir apprehension of employee

FedEx released a connection expressing its thoughts for Athena Strand’s household pursuing the apprehension of 1 of its employees connected charges of murder.

“Words cannot picture our daze and sorrow astatine the reports surrounding this tragic event,” the institution said.

“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the household during this astir hard time, and we proceed to cooperate afloat with the investigating authorities.

“At this time, immoderate further questions should beryllium directed to instrumentality enforcement.”

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 13:00

Suspect boasted astir dagger successful societal media post

Following his arrest, Tanner Lynn Horner’s societal media posts person travel to light.

In 1 post, seen by The Independent, the fishy boasts astir a dagger helium says helium received arsenic a present.

“Dagger my older member gave maine YEARS ago!,” helium captioned an representation of the golden leaf successful December 2014.

That aforesaid month, helium posted a photograph of himself successful furniture with the caption including a radical slur.

“Layin successful furniture conscionable reasoning f*** you lol n***a im the shit! Haters gonna hatred ^-^” helium wrote.

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 12:30

What happened to Athena Strand?

Athena vanished without a hint from her location successful Paradise connected Wednesday (30 November).

The small miss had been dropped disconnected from schoolhouse astatine astir 4.30pm and was past seen live astatine astir 5.40pm aft she had a quarrel with her stepmother.

Around an hr later, her stepmother went to find the seven-year-old successful her country to person meal but she was obscurity to beryllium found.

Athena was reported missing and, the adjacent day, an Amber Alert was issued.

For the adjacent 2 days, hundreds of instrumentality enforcement officers, household members and section volunteers combed the country desperately trying to find her arsenic her household insisted she wouldn’t person gone disconnected connected her own.

Hopes of her harmless instrumentality were past destroyed connected Friday erstwhile constabulary confirmed that her assemblage had been discovered successful a ditch astir six miles from her home.

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 12:00

School districts deterioration pinkish successful honour of Athena Strand

Students and unit crossed respective schoolhouse districts successful Texas wore pinkish connected Monday successful honour of murdered seven-year-old Athena Strand.

Athena who was snatched from her father’s location and killed past week with a FedEx operator present successful constabulary custody.

Her parent said that her favourite colour was pink.

On Monday, section officials and schools urged radical to deterioration pinkish successful her memory.

At slightest 20 schoolhouse districts joined successful with the touching tribute.

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 11:30

Tanner Horner’s neighbours respond arsenic he’s accused of murdering Athena Strand

Authorities announced connected Friday that FedEx transportation operator Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, was taken into custody for the execution of Athena, who went missing from her location successful Paradise, Texas, connected 30 November. Wise County sheriff Lane Akin told reporters that Mr Horner confessed to sidesplitting Athena wrong an hr of her abduction.

Speaking to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, neighbours of Mr Horner said that helium lived with his grandma and parent successful the westbound Fort Worth neighbourhood and that helium would permission for weeks astatine a clip earlier returning home.

Read the afloat story:

Rachel Sharp6 December 2022 11:00

I would similar to beryllium emailed astir offers, events and updates from The Independent. 
Read our Privacy notice

{{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}

I would similar to beryllium emailed astir offers, events and updates from The Independent. 
Read our Privacy notice

{{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}