The grandfather of a seven-year-old Texas girl who was kidnapped and murdered by a FedEx driver said despite wrestling with anger towards the deranged killer, he forgives him.
Mark Strand said despite part of him wanting 'five 5 minutes alone in a cell' with 31-year-old Tanner Horner, he decided to listen to another part that told him forgiveness was the only way for him and his family to recover.
Horner snatched Athena Strand from the driveway of her family home in Paradise, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, and she was found dead on Friday. Police said she was likely killed within an hour of her kidnapping.
Police were able to connect Horner to the killing based on a tip-off and his FedEx delivery route that day.
Horner confessed shortly after being apprehended, and now faces capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges.
Mark Strand wrote that despite part of him wanting 'five 5 minutes alone in a cell' with 31-year-old Tanner Horner who abducted and killed his seven-year-old granddaughter Athena, he decided to listen to another part that told him forgiveness was the only way for him and his family to recover
Athena Strand was snatched from the driveway of her family home in Paradise, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, confessed to police to abducting and killing Athena on Wednesday afternoon
Mr Strand characterized his internal turmoil over his decision to forgive Horner as a battle between good and evil.
'This man I am, is angry and I want 5 minutes alone in a cell with the psycho that took our Athena away from us, but there's a soft gentle voice in the back of my head telling me I need to forgive him,' he wrote in an emotional Facebook post.
'If I allow this hate to consume me, that voice will fade and eventually be silenced. Then that ugly spirit of hate will have succeeded and that's why this gentle voice persists to tell me I need to forgive this man.'
'There's not one ounce of my flesh that wants to do this or say this, but my spirit has heard God's voice and right now, while tears flood my eyes, I declare publicly that I forgive this man!'
'Hate will not win. I hope my family will understand that I don't do this for the sake of this man. I do this for the sake of my family and myself and to Honor the voice of God who is giving me the strength to say this. I do this to honor our precious Athena who knew no hate.'
'Love Conquers All and Forgives. Today, I choose Love and hate loses,' he concluded.
Mr Strand characterized his internal turmoil over his decision to forgive Horner as a battle between good and evil
Police said Athena was likely killed within an hour of her kidnapping on Wednesday
Horner is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible in the case, Akin said. He did not have any relation or connection to the family.
According to the Wise County Sheriff's Office, the child was dropped off at home from school at her home in Paradise at 4.30pm on Wednesday.
The youngster was outside her home after an argument with her stepmother when Horner was delivering a FedEx package to her house.
When Athena didn't come back inside and could not be found in her bedroom, her step-mom reported her missing to police at about 6.40pm.
Police believe the girl was likely abducted from her driveway, just 200 yards away from the safety of her home.
The FedEx van Homer was said to have been driving was found several 10 miles away from where Athena was abducted
Authorities were only able to connect the dots between Athena's disappearance and Horner's delivery route following a tip off
Athena Strand was said to have been outside of her home following an argument with her step-mom. When she could not be found shortly afterwards, the alarm was raised
Authorities were able to connect the dots between Athena's disappearance and Horner's delivery route following a tip-off, with the FBI, Texas Rangers and Wise County Sheriff's Offices working to bring the case to a speedy yet tragic end.
The youngster's body was eventually found 10 miles away from her home.
The County Sheriff paid tribute to locals that had assisted with the investigation which saw hundreds of volunteers coming out to help with a massive search.
'This community does not like losing our children and we could see it because of all the people who came out and helped us throughout this ordeal,' Akin said.
'It's one of the toughest investigations that I've been involved in because it's a child, and anytime there's a child dies, it hits you in your heart. You compare that child to your own children when they were at that age', he added.
FedEx released a statement on Friday night expressing their condolences to the family: 'Words cannot describe our shock at the reports surrounding this tragic event. First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this most difficult time.'
Athena Strand pictured with her mother Maitlyn Gandy. Gandy wrote on Facebook: 'Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest happiest soul you could ever meet
Athena's mom Maitlyn Gandy described Horner as a 'sick, cruel monster'.
'Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet,' she said after Horner confessed.
'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 from me.'
Shay Marie, 23, says that when she was 16 years old, Tanner Horner got her drunk and took advantage of her
Athena stepmother Lizzie and her father, Jacob Strand, pictured together in 2019
Gandy, who has posted hundreds of pictures of the 7-year-old on Facebook since her murder, wrote: 'I cannot describe the pain and absolute anger I feel. Missing her doesn't cover how I feel.'
Athena had been spending time with her father and stepmother in Texas and was due to return to be with her mother in Oklahoma for Christmas.
In another, she wrote: 'I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me. I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is.'
Athena's aunt, Keeland Kulbeth, said in an interview with KXAS-TV that her niece wouldn't just walk away from her father's home.
Kulbeth added: 'She loved people, loved animals, loved flowers. She's a very girly girl. I just can't see her running off and leaving.'
Gandy wrote: 'I cannot describe the pain and absolute anger I feel. Missing her doesn't cover how I feel'
In another, she wrote: 'I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me. I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is'
The family lives in Comanche, Oklahoma, 100 miles north of where Strand was murdered
This text message that Marie shared on Facebook shows her account of what happened to her at the hands of Horner
Gandy's heartbreaking remarks come as a Texas woman says that she was raped in 2014 by Tanner Horner when she was 16 years old.
DailyMail.com found that Shay Marie, 23, has said publicly and repeatedly on social media that Horner raped her in 2014. A friend of Marie's said in a social media post that she did report the rape to law enforcement.
In 2018, Ms Marie posted a series of screenshots showing text conversations that she had with friends and with Horner's then-girlfriend.
Ms Marie writes: 'On a Friday night, [Horner] got me drunk with the intention of having sex with me. I was nearly blackout drunk when he decided to rape me. I couldn't physically fight him. My body wouldn't move.'
'The next day, I was still out of it... It was just Tanner and I. I had almost no recollection of the night before at this point. We did acid. We were fine until they come down. I was laying down and had my back to him,' she wrote.
The victim continued: 'He kept touching me. I pushed his hand off multiple times. Started having bad anxiety. I was frozen. I cried. He was stroking my legs and side, talking about my most recent ex at the time. He wouldn't stop.'
Ms Marie went on: 'He wouldn't give me his address so I could leave. He wouldn't leave the room so I could change. He kept demanding I talked to him, asking what he did wrong. He acted innocent. He began cutting himself behind me. I got a hold of my friend. I had to run and hide in the bathroom. Her and and her mom came and got me. By the time it was at this point, it was about 8 am on Sunday morning. I haven't spoken to him since.'
Posts on Horner's Instagram page show he was an aspiring musician and was in a band named Commit and Conquer
In a subsequent post, the woman wrote about the circumstances of the attack saying that at the time she 'had just gotten my heart broken by my first love. I was reckless and would hang out with anyone and everyone, and being the girl that hung out at band practice was legit so cool to 16-year-old me.'
The victim wrote in a November 2019 Facebook post: 'Friendly reminder that Tanner Horner is a rapist.'
In another post from just last September, the woman said: 'I am 23. The man who assaulted when I was 16 was 23. We were 'friends,' he tried convincing me to date him and I declined. We stayed 'friends' until he could get me inebriated enough to take advantage of me - a 16-year-old child.'
She also said: 'I could never in a million years imagine being friends with a 16-year-old now, let alone trying to date/sleep with a 16-year-old. I will never understand it.'
Horner said on his Instagram page that he previously worked as an Uber driver
Posts on the suspect's Instagram page show that he was an aspiring musician and was in a band named Commit and Conquer.
One set of lyrics, penned by Horner, reads: 'Sometimes I hear her cries. Silence is the dirtiest trick in life. If im so empty then why do I feel alive. Lets go back for the last time. When you breathe you lie. Pretty thing keep your mouth closed and those legs tangled close.'
In other posts, Horner makes reference to being an Uber driver and a graduate of Azle High School. He wrote: 'Ubering out in Denton. Gettin' that $$$$$' in 2018.
An Uber spokesperson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Horner hasn't driven for the company in months.
Horner said in 2018 on Instagram: 'I don't understand how ppl are ok with themselves knowing they emotionally destroyed someone.' He also said: 'F*** love. Love gets you hurt. Guard yourself and f*** everyone else. Who even gives a f*** anymore.'
On his Facebook page, Horner describes himself as: 'aspie. non-neurotypical. musician. metalhead. love is stupid and not to mention completely asinine.' Other posts on that page indicate that he is a father to a child born in 2021.
Athena Strand was found dead on Friday night, police in Wise County, northwest of Dallas confirmed but police revealed that she likely died 'within an hour' of her being kidnapped
Source: dailymail.co.uk
English (United States)