A former FedEx delivery driver was sentenced to death on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to killing a seven-year-old Texas girl, Athena Strand, in 2022.

A jury gave Tanner Horner a death sentence after a weeks-long court case, during which the court heard an audio recording of the young girl's last moments inside the attacker's delivery vehicle.

"There are no words that truly capture the devastation that Tanner Horner caused us and our family," Elijah Strand, Athena Strand's uncle, said after the sentence was read.

Horner was delivering Athena Strand's Christmas gift - a box of Barbie dolls - to her home when he kidnapped her. She was later found dead not far from the property.

Last month, Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping as his trial began.

Jurors hearing the case had a choice of sentencing him to death or life in prison without parole. They ultimately chose a death sentence.

Video of the court proceedings showed Horner giving no reaction as the judge read his fate.

He is set to be be executed at a yet-to-be-determined date before sunrise by lethal injection.

The delivery that was made to the Strand family home, near Fort Worth, was made on 30 November 2022 - the day Horner kidnapped Athena Strand.

Two days later, the girl's body was found.

The family previously filed a case against Horner, FedEx and Big TopSpin Inc - a contractor for FedEx that hired Horner - alleging that the companies failed to conduct a background check on Horner before hiring him.

At the time of the murder, FedEx told US media that it was aware of the lawsuit. "Our thoughts remain with the family of Athena Strand in the wake of this tragedy," the statement read.

The BBC has contacted FedEx for an updated comment, following Horner's sentencing.

Big TopSpin Inc could not be contacted, and has not previously commented.

During Tuesday's courtroom proceedings, Elijah Strand told the court that relatives had been left with "an emptiness that can never be filled".

"You destroyed a family," he said, speaking to Horner. "You will feel the wrath of God.

"I want you to know," Elijah Strand said, looking at Horner, "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."

(BBC)

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