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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Tanner Horner told investigators he strangled Athena Strand after hitting her with his van
The disturbing details of 7-year-old Wise County girl Athena Strand death came to light Thursday in a newly filed arrest affidavit for contracted FedEx delivery driver Tanner Horner.
WISE COUNTY, Texas - The man accused of murdering a 7-year-old girl in Wise County will go to trial in Tarrant County.
The Wise County Messenger reports a judge granted Tanner Horner’s request for a change of venue.
The judge heard testimony regarding the news coverage surrounding the case before ruling.
Horner is accused of murdering 7-year-old Athena Strand after delivering a package to her home in 2022.
Arrest documents show he confessed to abducting her after he claimed he accidentally hit her with his delivery van. He said he strangled her because he was afraid she was going to tell her father that he hit her.
However, Horner pleaded not guilty to capital murder and kidnapping charges.
New law creates 'Athena Alert,' named after Wise County 7-year-old
The new law allows for law enforcement to issue an alert for a region when a child goes missing, before it is confirmed that there was an abduction.
Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin told Fox News Digital that his office is seeking the death penalty for Horner.
Earlier this year, a judge denied Horner’s request to be moved from the Wise County jail.
No trial date has been set.