A FedEx driver has been arrested and charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping after allegedly taking a Texas girlfrom her home driveway earlier this weekand killing her, authorities said.
Seven-year-old Athena Strand, who was last seen Wednesday evening on County Road in the city of Paradise, was found dead Friday nearly 200 yards from her home, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin toldreporters on Friday.
“It hurts our hearts to know that that child died,” Akin said. “So much so that she is on her way now to the medical examiner’s office and there’s a Texas ranger in front of her, and there’s a Texas ranger behind her. This community does not like losing our children. And we can see it because of all the people who came out and helped us throughout this ordeal.”
Local stationKDFWreported that a tip led authorities toTanner Lynn Horner, 31 — a private contractor — who the station reports is now being held on a $1.5 million bond. They also said that he confessed to the killing.
The charges come about after police led asearch across Wise Countywhen the girl vanished from her home Wednesday, and before the Texas' Department of Public Safetyissued an AMBER Alerton Thursday.
Multiple agencies, including a K-9 unit, assistedin the searchfor Strand, and approximately 200 citizens helped scour 50 acres of land for the missing girl, according to WFAA.
Horner, a resident of Ft. Worth, is currently booked in Wise County jail, according to the jail’s website. “Our thoughts are with the family of Athena Strand during this most difficult time,“FedEx shared in a Twitter statement. “Words cannot describe our shock and sorrow surrounding this tragic event. We continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities.”
Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Athena Strand’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, has sincelaunched a GoFundMe fundraiser.The crowdfunding campaign has earned over $35,000 of its current $50,000 goal.
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Athena Strand.Texas EquuSearch Facebook
Her mother also thanked the “hundreds if not thousands of volunteers” and authorities who helped locate her this week.
Athena’s cause of death remains under investigation, per Akin.
source: people.com
