The FedEx driver who abducted and murdered a seven-year-old girl has been sentenced to death for his appalling crimes.

Tanner Horner, 34, was delivering parcels to Athena Strand's family home in Paradise, Texas in November 2022 before he snatched her into his lorry and slammed the door shut.

Athena fought for her life in the back of his vehicle before he savagely took her life.

He pleaded guilty on April 7 to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

The jury deliberated for two hours and 50 minutes before reaching their verdict on whether Horner should face execution.

When the ruling was announced on Tuesday, May 5, Horner showed no emotion whatsoever.

Following the sentencing, Athena's uncle Elijah Strand confronted her killer directly, declaring: "I want you to know that you are nothing.

"You are a footnote in Athena's story.

"Her name will forever be remembered.

"Her name will forever be celebrated and everyone will forget you."

Her uncle further stated that no words could adequately convey the devastation wrought upon all those who cherished Athena.

His actions had irrevocably altered who they are as a family and their faith in the world.

"Athena was more than a headline.

"She was laughter, curiosity, kindness," Strand said.

"And she had dreams that she will never get to chase.

"Birthdays that she will never celebrate in a life she'll never get to live because of his actions.

"Our family has been left with an emptiness that can never be filled.

"We are left to carry grief that never fades.

"We are left with questions that will still never have answers.

"And we are left trying to honour the beautiful little girl whose life was taken in the most senseless and horrific way."

During Tuesday's court proceedings, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton described seven-year-old Athena as a 'warrior' for the fight she put up before her death.

Stainton presented the jury with the shoes Horner had been wearing on the day of the murder.

He said: "This is what it took [pointing at shoes] to beat the life out of her.

"If you want mercy, if you want someone to consider giving you life in prison when you gave no life to her, when you gave no mercy here."

Stainton further stated that Horner is "proof why there is evil in society and we can never turn back" and the very reason Texas retains the death penalty.

Horner is to be transferred to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit in West Livingston, Texas, where he will join other inmates on death row.

Jurors were shown more than an hour of video and audio footage capturing Athena's final moments.

Earlier evidence revealed that Horner had called Athena 'sweetie' and engaged her in conversation about school as he placed her in the back of his van.

In deeply disturbing audio, the young girl asked her kidnapper: "Is this your house?" Horner replied: "No, I don't live around here".

"Where are we going? What are you doing?" Athena asked a few moments later.

Horner answered: "We are going to hang out for a while."

Horner then instructed the girl to remove her top, silencing her when she questioned why. She began to cry and called out for her mother.

"Are you a kidnapper?" Athena asked through her tears and begs to go home. "Why are you doing this?"

Horner responded: "Because you are pretty. You know that?"

The seven-year-old's body was discovered two days later, nine miles from her home.

During the trial, jurors also heard the deeply distressing testimonies of both of Strand's parents.

It was determined that Athena died as a result of blunt force injuries combined with smothering and strangulation.

The medical examiner's report stated that Athena's body showed no signs of sexual trauma.

However, former forensic analyst with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Jacqueline Ferrara, testified at Horner's trial that male DNA had been discovered on swabs taken from Athena's rape kit.

Initially, Horner claimed that he had accidentally struck the girl with his van and strangled her in a moment of panic.

Prosecutors dismissed this as an 'absolute lie', asserting that Athena had not sustained any injuries prior to the abduction, with footage recorded inside the vehicle showing the girl conscious and appearing unharmed.