FedEx Killer Tanner Horner's Stomach-Churning Remark When Asked If He Sexually Assaulted Athena Strand, 7, Before Murdering Her Revealed in Court
Jurors heard recorded jail call between Tanner Horner and his mother about the moments during Athena Strand's death.
April 14 2026, Published 1:05 p.m. ET
A series of disturbing jailhouse recordings and courtroom revelations has shed new light on convicted FedEx driver Tanner Horner, who abducted and killed 7-year-old Athena Strand in Texas in 2022 while delivering a Christmas present.
RadarOnline.com can reveal jurors heard chilling phone calls, emotional family exchanges, and graphic testimony as the sentencing phase continues in the high-profile case.
Jail Call Reveals Disturbing Remark
During a phone call, Horner's mother pressed him about whether anything inappropriate happened to the 7-year-old.
In a recorded jail call played in court, Horner's mother pressed him about what happened.
"Did she die on her own?" she asked, per Fox News 4.
"No," Horner replied.
"Okay," she said, before asking, "Tanner, I just hope you didn't do nothing weird to that little girl." Horner denied it.
"OK. I didn't think you did, I just know how you get," she said.
Horner then added, "Well, actually, with my medication, I barely even have a libido as it is."
The comment was presented to jurors during sentencing proceedings.
'Are you remorseful, Tanner?'
Another jail call showed Horner being asked about remorse following the killing of Strand.
In another call played for jurors, Horner spoke with his grandmother, who asked him directly if he felt remorse.
"Are you remorseful, Tanner?" she asked. "How can I not be?" he replied.
"I haven't been on my medication for the last few weeks, and I'm getting emotional," he added.
During the call, Horner broke down while speaking about his young son and the possibility of not being home for Christmas.
Convicted FedEx Driver Blames Medication
Horner's letter to the victim’s family cited medication issues and FedEx route changes as contributing stressors.
In a later letter to Strand’s family, Horner attempted to explain his actions, citing autism and difficulty coping with changes in routine.
"I do not do well with changes or things that are unpredictable," he wrote.
"When I first started out as a driver at FedEx, I was given a singular route, and that route wouldn't change for a while," he said. "After a bit, my employer started making random changes to my route, adding stuff from other routes so they could make more money."
"I don't do well with change, I can have meltdowns when unexpected changes to my daily routine happens," he added.
"I got put on medication, and a week later I was back at work," he wrote. "I let my employers know I needed to keep a consistent routine and I wouldn't have any issues, and I was ignored."
"When I returned, they did the opposite of what was good for someone like me. They put me on a different route every day. In hindsight I think they were trying to get me to quit, which in retrospect was kind of scammy," he added.
Court Hears Graphic Details
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Prosecutors presented forensic evidence linking injuries on Strand to Horner’s FedEx delivery van interior.
Prosecutors told jurors Horner abducted Strand while delivering a Christmas present before killing her and dumping her body in a creek.
A forensic expert testified, "When police found Strand's body, she had markings pressed into her face that matched the floor of Horner's FedEx vehicle."
Medical examiner Jessica Dwyer said, "Strand was found naked in the water with her hands covered by plastic bags," adding there were "no signs of sexual trauma."
Dwyer also testified the child's body showed "trauma to her head, neck, chest, and back."
Investigators later recovered her body from waist-deep water in the creek where she had been dumped.
