Tanner Horner, the former FedEx contract driver who abruptly pleaded guilty to the capital murder and aggravated kidnapping of 7-year-old Athena Strand in early April 2026, now faces renewed scrutiny over disturbing allegations from his past. According to a 2022 arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA, a woman came forward two months after Horner’s initial arrest in the Strand case, claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2013 when she was 16 years old and he was 22.

The woman told Fort Worth police that the incident occurred while she was drinking at Horner’s house and stayed overnight to avoid getting in trouble with her grandmother. She described Horner making sexual advances that she initially resisted, but in her intoxicated state, she eventually gave in. Screenshots of messages included in the affidavit reportedly show that Horner was fully aware of her age at the time. Horner was later indicted on two counts of sexual assault of a child related to this allegation, though Tarrant County prosecutors chose not to pursue those charges while he faced the death penalty in the high-profile Strand murder case.

Athena Strand disappeared on November 30, 2022, from her family’s home in Wise County, Texas. Horner had been delivering packages in the neighborhood that day. He initially told investigators he accidentally backed his delivery van into the little girl, panicked when she said she would tell her father, abducted her, and later strangled her out of fear. Her body was found two days later near a creek about 15 miles away.

During the punishment phase of Horner’s trial in Tarrant County, prosecutors presented chilling evidence that painted a far darker picture than Horner’s “panic” defense. Photos shown in court reportedly depicted Athena alive and alert inside the FedEx truck shortly after her abduction. Dashcam audio captured Horner allegedly trying to silence the child repeatedly. Forensic evidence included Horner’s DNA found on the 7-year-old in locations prosecutors described as inappropriate for any adult interaction with a child, strongly suggesting sexual assault occurred before her death.

Horner’s surprise guilty plea on the first day of trial shifted the proceedings directly into the sentencing phase, where a jury must now decide whether he receives the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The emergence of the prior sexual assault allegation adds another layer of horror to an already devastating case, raising questions about whether Horner had a pattern of targeting young females long before Athena’s murder.

The 2013 incident came to light in December 2022, shortly after Horner’s arrest for Athena’s kidnapping and murder. Despite the indictment on sexual assault charges, the focus remained on the capital case. Court records and recent reporting indicate that digital evidence recovered from Horner’s devices and history supported the victim’s claims, including communications confirming her underage status.

Athena’s family has endured unimaginable grief. Her grandfather and other relatives have spoken publicly about the profound loss, with some expressing forgiveness while still demanding full accountability. The little girl was remembered as bright, loving, and full of life — stolen in the middle of a normal afternoon while her family was inside the home.

Horner’s defense has attempted to portray the killing as a panicked reaction to an accidental collision, but prosecutors have aggressively countered that narrative with evidence of premeditation and a sexual motive. The sentencing phase is expected to last up to three weeks, with additional testimony and evidence likely to further illuminate Horner’s actions and background.

This latest revelation about the alleged 2013 sexual assault of a 16-year-old has intensified public outrage and renewed calls for justice. Many observers see it as part of a troubling pattern that culminated in the brutal death of a trusting 7-year-old child who was simply in her own driveway.

As the jury weighs Horner’s fate, the case serves as a stark reminder of how predators can operate undetected — delivering packages by day while harboring dark secrets. Authorities and victim advocates stress the importance of believing survivors who come forward, even years later, and the critical role digital evidence plays in holding offenders accountable.

Athena Strand’s short life ended in horror, but her story continues to drive demands for systemic changes in how delivery drivers are screened and how quickly law enforcement responds to missing children cases. For now, the focus remains on the Tarrant County courtroom, where 12 jurors must decide if Tanner Horner deserves the ultimate punishment for taking an innocent life — and whether his past actions reveal a predator who evaded justice for far too long.

The pain inflicted on Athena’s family and the broader community may never fully heal, but the truth emerging in court offers at least a measure of accountability in one of Texas’s most heartbreaking child murder cases in recent memory.