FedEx driver who murdered Athena Strand, 7, told cops he accidentally hit her with his van after dropping off her Christmas gift, put her in the van because he ‘panicked’

Athena Strand was found dead in Boyd, Texas, on Friday, outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area after being missing for several days

Tanner Lynn Horner is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in connection to Strand’s death

Horner, 31, told investigators he hit Athena Strand, 7, while backing up his FedEx truck during a delivery

He said Athena wasn’t seriously hurt, but he panicked and pulled her into the truck

Inside the truck, Athena told Horner she was going to tell her father about the accident, so Horner tried to break her neck to silence and kill her

When he was unable to break Athena’s neck Horner said, he resorted to strangling her with his bare hands

Horner confessed to the crime after authorities apprehended him, and led them to a body of water where he dumped her body

Prosecutors have said they would be seeking the death penalty for the suspect

He is being held at the Wise County Law Enforcement Center in Texas on a $1.5million bond 

The FedEx driver accused of abducting and killing a 7-year-old girl last week in Texas told authorities that he strangled the victim after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery at her home, according to an arrest warrant on November 30.
Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, told investigators that Athena Strand wasn’t seriously hurt after he hit her while backing up, but he panicked and put her in his van. He said she was talking to him and told him her name.
When Athena began saying she was going to tell her father about the accident, Horner attempted to silence her by breaking her neck and kill her, according to the affidavit.  
But Horner said he was unable to break her neck, so he strangled her ‘with his bare hands’ in his FedEx truck, the affidavit said. 
Investigators identified Horner as a suspect by after they learned FedEx had delivered a package at about the time Athena went missing. When they took him in for questioning, Horner told authorities what happened and said he would be willing to take them to the body. 
He brought police to a body of water, where Athena’s lifeless body was found and identified. The young girl’s body was found just six miles from where she was taken 

The affidavit also revealed that Horner’s FedEx truck was equipped with a video camera. Feeds from the video showed Horner bringing a girl resembling Athena into the truck. 
Horner could be seen speaking with the little girl inside the truck in the video. It is unclear if he could be seen attacking her in the footage. 
The affidavit describes in horrifying detail how Horner murdered the seven-year-old in cold blood. 
‘The defendant stated when he attempted to break Athena’s neck it did not work so he strangled her with his bare hands in the back of the FedEx truck.’
‘During the course of the interview the Defendant again stated he strangled Athena because she was going to tell her father about being hit by the FedEx truck the Defendant was operating.’

The location he dumped Athena’s body was about 15 minutes southwest of Paradise, Texas, where she resided. 
At a news conference Thursday, Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, told how Horner, was delivering a You Can Be Anything Barbie to Strand’s father and stepmother’s house in Paradise, Texas, last Wednesday when according to his own admission, he snatched and murdered his young victim.
‘This package is the first time I’m seeing it,’ Gandy said of the now-opened Walmart box, as she explained that the Barbie dolls were set to be a Christmas present for her daughter.
‘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.’
Horner who is is facing capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges, is being held at the Wise County Law Enforcement Center in Texas on a $1.5million bond.
Prosecutors have said they would be seeking the death penalty for the suspect

Texas authorities said Horner’s case is scheduled to be turned over to the district attorney next week.
In the meantime, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow-up on tips they receive from the public so they can build an air-tight case against him.
‘Because of the age of the child, and because it was an abduction, we are going to pursue the death penalty,’ Sheriff Lane Atkin told WFAA.

Meanwhile, the attorneys representing Gandy and her family are planning to conduct their own investigation to determine whether FedEx could have done more to prevent the tragedy. 
The family’s lawyer, Benson Varghese, asked community members to contact them with any information, even if they, too, had just received a package from Horner that day, as he insisted, ‘We want a thorough investigation,’ he said, as he told reporters that he has a number of people he would like to speak with.
Varghese, said he ‘wholeheartedly agrees’ with the sheriff’s decision to seek the death penalty, saying: ‘It is undoubtedly appreciated.’
Maitlyn Gandy vowed she will continue to seek justice for her daughter.
‘I will spend the rest of my life fighting for her so that no other family will endure such unbearable pain and grief,’ she said.

Athena Strand was found dead in Boyd, Texas, on Friday, outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area after being missing for several days. Tanner Lynn Horner, 30, is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in connection to Strand’s death. 
FedEx released a statement on Friday night expressing its 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.’
When asked about their hiring practices, a spokesperson for FedEx told FOX News Digital that it ‘contracts for transportation, pickup, and delivery services with more than 6,000 independent businesses that are committed to providing outstanding package pickup and delivery services using their own employees.’ 
The spokesperson also said each employee is subject to a criminal background check and ‘should we become aware of any criminal activity within our network, we work swiftly to investigate and address those incidents, including cooperating with law enforcement.’
Autopsy results from the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office are pending.

Police say they connected Horner to the killing based on a tip they received, and his FedEx delivery route on Wednesday
They say he snatched Athena Strand from the driveway of her family home in Paradise, Texas, that afternoon, after the girl stepped outside following an argument with her stepmother and as Horner was delivering a package.
When Athena didn’t come back inside and could not be found in her bedroom, her stepmother reported her missing to police at about 6.40pm. 
Local police then worked in tandem with the FBI, Texas Rangers and Wise County Sheriff’s Offices to search for the missing child.

The youngster’s body was eventually found in Boyd, about six miles from the home.
Horner confessed shortly after being apprehended and now faces capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charges. 
He is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible in the case, Sheriff Akin said. He did not have any connection to the family.