The Misery Machine - The Case of Athena Strand

Starting point is 00:00:00 Content warning. This video is about a sensitive topic involving loss of life. We've removed any graphic content to comply with YouTube's guidelines. We aim to provide informative, factual journalism on a tragic event in the public interest that is not dismiss its seriousness. All clips are used under the doctrine of fair use for news reporting and analysis. Athena Presley-Monroe Strand was born on May 23rd, 2015 in Duncan, Oklahoma to parents Jacob Strand in Maitland Gandy. Shortly after her birth, her parents divorced, but both Jacob and Maitland remained devoted to blessing Athena with all of the love a child could hope for.

Starting point is 00:00:37 Jacob later moved to Texas while Athena continued living with her mother. Despite the distance and the challenges that came with it, Jacob always made the effort to remain present in his daughter's life. Maitland too ensured that Athena spent time with her father. Jacob and Maitland never wavered in their love that they had for Athena. Athena enjoyed jewelry, makeup, and applying it on her mother and sister, but that wasn't her only side. She liked to imagine herself as something different, like a Viking princess, just like her Viking daddy, as she called him, who had tattoos everywhere and hair as long as Rapunzels.

Starting point is 00:01:15 Even at just seven years old, her love for her two little sisters was absolute. In one touching Facebook post, her mother wrote, Athena loves her two baby sisters with all she has. She is the best big sissy. As a first grader at Paradise Elementary School, she loved being part of her school community and always brought joy to those around her. Outside of the classroom, she had an adventurous spirit

Starting point is 00:01:40 with a special love for swimming, leaping off diving boards, and any activity that let her boundless energy shine. Her mother described her in words that perfectly captured her spirit. Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet. Others who knew her shared the same sentiment. Her first grade teacher, Lindsay Thompson, recalled how Athena's cheerful nature made her adjoined the classroom while other people said of her,

Starting point is 00:02:10 Athena had an ever-present smile which brought joy and happiness to everyone she encountered. She made friends as easily as a butterfly can flap its wings and would light up any room she walked into. But sometimes the world can be cruel to those with the kindest hearts. Athena was one of those souls. She loved everyone deeply, and it was that very kindness that a heartless person would later take advantage of. After celebrating her seventh birthday in mid-2020, Athena moved to her father's home in Texas.

Starting point is 00:02:41 The plan was for her to stay there until the New Year's holidays, after which she would return to her mother. During her time there, she attended a local school and lived with her dad and stepmother Elizabeth in a quiet rural home far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Wednesday, November 30th, 2022, was expected to be just another ordinary day for Athena. That afternoon around 4.30 p.m., she stepped off her school bus and was supposed to spend the rest of her day happily running around her father's property on the 200 block of County Road 3573 in Paradise. Sadly, this day would not be ordinary at all. While her father was away on a deer hunting

Starting point is 00:03:18 trip, Athena had a small argument with her stepmother around 5.40 p.m. Elizabeth called Athena to the dinner table about 20 minutes later, but there was no response. Alarmed, Elizabeth began searching the house. Athena wasn't in her room, nor was she anywhere else inside. She wasn't playing outside either. Elizabeth then called some of Athena's relatives as she often spent time with them, but Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th, and the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamavat Theater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary.

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Starting point is 00:06:03 I can work with that. This should be tons of fun. Marvel television's daredevil, born again, now streaming only on Disney Plus. Every call only confirmed her greatest fear. Athena was missing. She called her husband who immediately abandoned his deer hunt and headed home, urging her to contact 911. Around 6.40 p.m. after trying everything she could to locate Athena, Elizabeth called the Wise County Sheriff's Office to report her missing. She explained to investigators that earlier there had been a small argument and later she could not find Athena in her room.

Starting point is 00:06:37 authorities noted that Elizabeth waited roughly an hour before calling as she had first been searching the house and the surrounding area herself. For the time Jacob arrived back at his home, law enforcement was already on the property, conducting an urgent search for Athena. The effort involved the Wise County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, Fort Worth and Bridgeport Police Departments, local fire departments, Wise County EMS, search rescue one, and several other agencies. All hands were on deck to find Athena. Nearly 200 volunteers from the community also joined in the search. Over the next 24 hours, authorities scoured a five-mile radius around the 200 block of County Road 3573 in Paradise. Yet, despite their extensive efforts, they found no sign of Athena

Starting point is 00:07:24 or any indication of where she might have gone. According to Wise County Sheriff Lane Aiken, right now we're exploring all possibilities. At this point, we think the child may have wanted. wandered off and gotten lost. But Keeling Coolbeth, one of Athena's aunts, insisted that it was unlikely Athena would have wandered off on her own. At the time, however, she could not provide any specific evidence to support her concern. She shared that, we definitely don't believe Athena ran away.

Starting point is 00:07:52 We just don't know if she's been abducted or not. Although the sheriff initially had no grounds to issue an Amber Alert, given the gravity of the situation, the alert was issued regardless. Federal authorities made slight adjustments to the criteria for Amber Alerts and later introduced the Athena Alert. Under this system, an Amber Alert can be issued for a missing child even if the authorities have not yet confirmed an abduction. The alert can be broadcast across a 100-mile radius around the disappearance, including adjacent counties, ensuring that more people are informed and can assist in the search. The Texas Department of Public Safety emphasizes that this is not a new type of alert,

Starting point is 00:08:33 and that all messages are still officially considered Amber Alerts, retaining the same protocols and urgency. For context, an Amber Alert is an emergency notification system designed to inform the public about a missing or abducted child quickly. It broadcasts certain important details such as the child's description, the suspected abductor, and any relevant vehicle information, using media outlets, highway signs, and mobile alerts to increase the chances of safely and promptly recovering the child. Athena's mother and one of her other aunts, Kelby Kulbeth, both expressed that they wanted more

Starting point is 00:09:10 details about what had happened in the moments leading up to Athena's disappearance. But at that time, there wasn't a single clue. Her aunt said, I just want her home and safe where I can physically see her and she can be with me. Federal authorities left no stone unturned in their search, yet no matter how far they looked, Athena was nowhere to be found. For investigators, it seemed almost impossible. How could a seven-year-old girl vanish into the night? The area was thick with woods and homes were scarce, but even within a six-mile radius, there was simply no sign of Athena.

Starting point is 00:09:43 Naturally, this led investigators to widen their scope. If Athena hadn't wandered off, then perhaps someone had taken her. It began gathering information about all recent activities and visitors that day, and sure enough, they did find a weed. The same day Athena vanished, a FedEx deletka. had been scheduled for a delivery at her father's home. Investigators quickly reached out to FedEx to determine who had made this delivery and which van had been used. The van was quickly located, and investigators discovered it had been equipped with dash cameras.

Starting point is 00:10:14 FedEx fully cooperated and released the footage to federal authorities. However, what they saw was deeply disturbing. Seemingly at random, 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner forced Little Athena into his delivery van. van. Law enforcement immediately tracked down Tanner and brought him in for an interrogation. Finally, after two long days of tireless efforts, the heartbreaking discovery came on Friday, December 2nd, 2022 at around 8 p.m. Athena's body was found nine miles away from her home, southeast of Boyd. The news devastated her family and friends who could hardly process the unimaginable loss. The bright, innocent little girl who had brought light into so many lives,

Starting point is 00:10:58 lives was gone. And the circumstances leading to such a tragic outcome were nothing short of heartbreaking and infuriating. Later that night at approximately 10.15 p.m., Sheriff Aiken held a press conference. With a heavy heart, he offered his condolences to Athena's family and expressed gratitude to the community who... Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same premium wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities, so do like and have one of your assistance assistants assistants switch you to MintMobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do at mintmobile.com slash switch.

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Starting point is 00:11:50 No, you don't understand. It went perfectly. Real offer, down to the penny. They're picking it up tomorrow. Nothing went wrong. So what's the problem? That is the problem. Nothing in my life goes to smoothie. I'm waiting for the catch. Maybe there's no catch. That's exactly what a catch would want me to think.

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Starting point is 00:12:21 In the conference, Sheriff Aiken shared the following. It was a monumental task, and because of the cooperation, because of us working together, we were able to get the answers. Some of the answers were not the answers that we would have hoped that we would have gotten. And we want to send our condolences out to the family of Athena Strand. This community does not like losing our children. Earlier today, a tip was received. We knew early on in the investigation that there had been a FedEx driver made a delivery in front of the house

Starting point is 00:12:53 about the same time that little Athena, seven-year-old Athena, came up missing. And continued good work by this investigative team, they were able to determine that the driver abducted Athena. This driver is a contract driver, and his name is Tanner Lynn Horner. He's in our jail, and he's in our jail being charged with capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, and his bond is $1.5 million at this time. We thank again the community, and I guess at this point we'll take questions. No, it was on another county road about six minutes. We don't really want to release that address right now,

Starting point is 00:13:43 but it was six miles further from here. So it's probably three miles past that. It's southeast of Boyd. Was the driver actually delivering a package to that home? Yes, sir, he was. So she was abducted from her home? The driveway is about 200 yards or so, so probably pretty close to her gate.

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Starting point is 00:14:27 advisor. Investing involves risk to principle regardless of the strategy used. Task performance does not guarantee future results. There's digital evidence as well as interviews that causes us to believe that. How is the driver located? Do you want to answer that question? Do you not answer that question? There were a number of investigative steps that had taken a course along the way. The sheriff mentioned the digital evidence that was there, and we were able to work through that digital evidence and through partnerships with FedEx in order to help assist with that – with locating him and finding him this afternoon. Can you talk about the prior prior criminal history?

Starting point is 00:15:07 I don't know the answer to that question at this point. When you talk about that digital evidence, do you mean bring camera videos to Bailant's camera videos? I think the investigation is still unfolding at this point, and I think we'll leave the specifics in terms of what that is there. But right now we're, you know, on behalf of the FBI, I'd also like to offer my condolences to the Strand family and to the Wise County community as well. The partnerships with the Texas Rangers and with the gentleman behind us, the sheriff from Wise County, we're truly remarkable and truly helped to bring some closure to that

Starting point is 00:15:32 family today and we know that they're hurting, but we do offer our deepest condolences to them. That is currently the understanding. Yes. And what led you to that location where her body was recovered? Sure. I can address that. It was because of the work of the Rangers and our investigators who were doing the interview that got us to that location based on the information they received from the suspect now defendant. The suspect confessed? We do have a confession. Is there anything that you can give us on why the suspect said you did this and what motivated to him? We really can't get into the content of the confession, but I will say that we have a confession. And there's something. so many other things because this has really just come to this position, this time and just closure, just hours ago. So it's still very, very early, but we wanted to make sure that we got the information out what has happened today because of the good work right here.

Starting point is 00:16:22 Do you know this man knew Athena or her family? No, that's a good question. And I appreciate that. No, he was not related and did not know the family. One last thing. You are retired ranger. Been in law enforcement 50 years. Describe this case in relation to your entire career. You know, it's one of the toughest investigations that I've been involved in. because it's a child. And any time there's a child that dies, it just hits you in your heart. You compare that child to your own children when they were that age, and it just takes the wind out of yourselves. But at the same time, it gives you purpose, because you want to make sure that you do the best you can

Starting point is 00:16:58 so that you get the best resources together to do what has been done here and getting this done in really just about a three-day period. It's amazing that the work was done by this team, and I'm in awe. So it breaks my heart, but at the same time, it really gives me a lot of spirit knowing that we can accomplish what we accomplished here these last three days. Sheriff Aiken explained that around the time

Starting point is 00:17:19 Athena went missing, Tanner had been delivering a package to the family's home. Investigators believe she was likely abducted from her driveway just about 200 yards away from the house. It was there in that short distance between home and safety that this heinous predator snatched sweet Athena and later robbed her of her life. Sheriff Aiken also mentioned that Tanner initially tried to mislead investigators by giving them at least two false locations,

Starting point is 00:17:46 one of which was along County Road 4599, an area that police had taped off on Friday afternoon. Only later did he finally direct detectives to where Athena's body was actually found. Authority said there was no information to suggest a possible motive. Sheriff Aiken also confirmed that Tanner did not know Athena or her family, which makes this crime even more senseless and horrifying. Tanner Lynn Horner was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of seven-year-old Athena Strand. Initial charges were capital murder of a person under 10 years old and aggravated kidnapping.

Starting point is 00:18:22 The time of his arrest in December of 2022, Tanner was booked into the Wise County Jail. His bail was set at $1.5 million. On Saturday morning, December 3rd, 2022, Athena's mother Maitland said in a Facebook post that She wanted her daughter to be remembered for who she was in life rather than as just a victim, sharing. I don't want her to be the girl known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster. I want everyone to know every single person in this world that this is my baby and my baby was taken for me. I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is. A few days later, an affidavit was released in connection with Tanner's arrest,

Starting point is 00:19:03 and it carried even more troubling details about Little Athenia. his disappearance and murder. According to this affidavit, Tanner initially confessed that he had accidentally struck Athena with his FedEx truck after delivering a package to her home. However, the official autopsy report released nearly three months later did not support this claim.

Starting point is 00:19:23 Instead, the report indicated evidence of trauma to Athena's head along with signs of asphyxia or strangulation. Tanner's initial claim that he had accidentally hit Athena with his truck turned out to be nothing more than a lie. He likely said it to manipulate the story and avoid immediate arrest or consequences. But the investigators didn't buy it. Def David said that Tanner claimed that he struck Athena with this truck and that she allegedly gave her name to him while he brought her inside the truck.

Starting point is 00:19:51 Once inside, Tanner confessed that he panicked at the thought that Athena would tell her father that she was hit. And because of this, his first instinct was to try to snap her neck. That did not work. he resorted to strangling her with his bare hands. According to the affidavit, he went on to tell investigators again and again that he killed Athena because she would have told her father about the truck incident. On Friday, December 9th, 2022, FedEx also issued a statement saying, We share in the collective grief surrounding this heartbreaking tragedy,

Starting point is 00:20:25 and our thoughts remain with the family of Athena Strand. We continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities. It's sickening how Tanner Lynn Horner went about his daily, life for two whole days as if he hadn't committed an unspeakable crime. But on the other hand, a FedEx delivery that was intended for Athena turned out to be the very one that took her life. On November 30th, a FedEx delivery man drove onto Athena's father's property to deliver a package of what was supposed to be a Christmas present for our daughter. This is the package. It's the first time I'm seeing it. The package is containing. You can beat anything Barbies.

Starting point is 00:21:08 Athena was robbed of the opportunity to grow up to be anything she wanted to be. And this present ordered out of innocence and love is one she will never receive. Athena's favorite holiday was Christmas, as it is for many children everywhere. The joy Athena gave her family, and the joy she felt on Christmas is something we will never fill with her again. Even more disturbing is that this wasn't the first time Tanner's name had been linked to a serious allegation. after his arrest a woman named shey marie came forward in a facebook post later deleted accusing tanner of essay in 2019 when she was just 16 and he was 23 in the post she wrote december 6 and 7th marked 7 years since you violated me and treated me like you were entitled to my body seven years i was a child in a

Starting point is 00:22:01 vulnerable state and you took advantage of that Tanner is also facing three additional charges of essay of a child separate from Athena Strand's case. These charges date back to 2013, and while these details remain unclear, it has been reported that they involve either one individual across multiple incidents or three separate victims. As far as Tanner's court proceedings are concerned, things have not been looking good for him. Sheriff Aiken even made this clear during the press conference on December 2nd stating, this community does not take losing children lightly. As such, Tanner was facing the possibility of life in prison without parole. Following his arrest in December, Tanner had remained in the Wise County Jail while awaiting trial. Legal proceedings have

Starting point is 00:22:46 been complex as they involve multiple pretrial motions, psychological evaluations, and the coordination of evidence from numerous law enforcement agencies. On February 16, 23, a Wise County grand jury formally indicted Tanner Horner on charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in connection with Athena's death. A month later, Tanner entered a plea of not guilty. Mother Maitland was present in court that day, forced for the first time to come face-to-face with the man accused of taking her daughter's life. Attorney Benz and Vargis, who represented Athena's mother during the plea hearing, said, it was probably one of the most difficult moments of her life to see the person who killed her daughter.

Starting point is 00:23:26 It's a moment she's thought about for a long time. I suppose it's surreal in some senses, but it was of just grave importance for her to be there. Later in July of 2023, there were some further complications. A Wise County District Judge ordered the removal of Tanner's court-appointed attorneys, Bill Ray and Stephen Gordon, and reassigned the defense to lawyers from the regional public defender's office. According to court records, the decision came after it was revealed that the public defender's office had already held a contract with Wise County to represent defendants

Starting point is 00:23:57 in capital murder cases. In an August 2024 motion, Tanner and his legal team had requested a change of venue, citing extensive pretrial publicity that could prevent him from receiving a fair trial in Wise County. Their request included numerous exhibits showing widespread media coverage of Athena's case and statements from local residents about the community's awareness. Judge Brock Smith of the 271st District Court in Decatur considered other nearby counties like Jack County, but argued that smaller populations and court facilities there would present similar challenges, is stating, the court finds that Tarrant County is an adjoining county that is not subject to the same

Starting point is 00:24:37 conditions. Additionally, district attorney James Stanton called the change of venue unfortunate in a statement to the Wise County messenger, but reassured the public that it would not affect how the prosecution handles its case. As of the date of this recording in 2025, this case is still in progress and has been rescheduled to April of 26, providing the need for extensive resources, and additional time for preparation of both parties. Furthermore, the court approved a request from the prosecution to transfer DNA evidence from a Houston lab where testing had been delayed due to a backlog to Tarrant County for faster processing. This request was made by Wise County District Attorney James Stanton, who will personally oversee the

Starting point is 00:25:22 prosecution. As with all cases that have yet to be resolved, Tanner Lynn Horner is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. A candle at vigil was held on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at the First Baptist Church in Cottondale Paradise. There were thousands of attendees gathered at the church, all gathered in remembrance of little Athena, and many were wearing pink, Athena's favorite color. The vigil was a soulful and somber ceremony and featured many emotional speeches, prayers, the lighting of more than 900 candles in her honor. Nina's mother addressed the crowd, expressing gratitude for the community's support and urging everyone to remember her daughter.

Starting point is 00:26:03 She stated, I just want to keep her face and her story alive because I want everyone to know Athena for Athena. And not for what someone tried to make her out to be because she's the best little girl. She really was. Lindsay Thompson, Athena's first grade teacher, was also president at the vigil and shared how she will never forget Athena's smile in her laugh, her voice, and her unique sense of style. She addressed those gatherings saying, I now have 18 of my favorite six and seven-year-olds that are sad and hurting

Starting point is 00:26:34 because they no longer have a friend and classmate. At the vigil, Athena's mother Maitland also expressed her gratitude to the volunteers who search for her daughter and the first responders whose efforts helped bring some measure of closure to the family. She left the crowd with one heartfelt request. I don't care if it's five years from now, 10 years from now.

Starting point is 00:26:54 remember Athena Strand. Thanks to the Athena alert passing in May of 2023, Athena's legacy will also be that future missing children will be saved with new protocols in place to locate them as quickly and safely as possible. Athena was finally laid to rest on Friday, December 9th, 2022 in Bridgeport, Texas, where family and close friends gathered to say their final goodbyes. She rested in a casket custom made and donated by Trey Gannum of Solshine Industries who has also crafted and donated 19 other caskets for children who have suffered similar tragedies. Trey shared that, the hardest thing a parent has to do is pick out that casket.

Starting point is 00:27:39 I don't want that to be the hardest thing. I want it to be something that truly represents that child. Athena's casket was pink, adorned with a beautiful princess crown on top. and decorated with Viking symbols, one representing the bond between father and daughter and the other symbolizing mother and daughter. After the service, she was cremated,

Starting point is 00:28:01 and her casket would serve as a memory box for her mother. Athena's favorite Disney songs were placed inside, keeping her spirit close to those who loved her. Her mother shared pictures of the casket, allowing the world to see the love and care that went into honoring her daughter's memory. But Athena's story is far from the end. Her memory still continues to inspire change and awareness in the community for stronger child protection measures and programs designed to keep children safe.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Athena Strand

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