A FedEx driver committed a heinous act by killing a seven-year-old girl in his delivery van while singing a Christmas song as the child screamed in terror. Tanner Horner, 34, abducted Athena Strand from her home in Texas while delivering a package of Barbie toys her parents had purchased for her. The tragic incident unfolded with Horner strangling the innocent girl inside his van after she was taken from her residence in Paradise.

Video evidence presented in court captured the disturbing sequence of events, showing Horner arriving at the girl’s home to drop off packages, with Athena trailing behind him. Horner then forcibly placed the girl inside his delivery van, where she raised concerns about being kidnapped. Subsequent footage revealed Athena kneeling behind Horner in the vehicle as he drove her away from her family.

As the journey progressed, Horner muted the camera but the audio continued to record. Approximately 30 minutes into the footage, the Christmas tune “Jingle Bell Rock” played on the radio, prompting the killer to sing along while the terrified girl cried out in pain. Horner threatened Athena and made inappropriate remarks before eventually stopping the van, leading to a heartbreaking exchange where the girl pleaded to be taken back home.

Horner eventually confessed to the crimes of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping just before his trial was set to begin. The court now faces the decision of whether to sentence him to the death penalty or life imprisonment for his reprehensible actions. According to an arrest warrant, Horner initially claimed he accidentally hit Athena with his van but later admitted to strangling her after panicking.

This tragic incident has shocked the community and raised serious concerns about the safety of delivery services.