Athena Strand's mother will be able to address her daughter's killer directly.

Maitlyn Gandy's emotional testimony about the November 2022 kidnapping and murder of her 7-year-old daughter came on the 7th day of the capital murder trial for the man accused of killing her.

I had to cover up hand print bruises around my daughter’s neck,” mom Maitlyn Gandy told a Texas court Wednesday, when asked why she’d been to nearly hearing for her 7-year-old girl’s

Testimony is set to resume Wednesday morning in the capital murder trial of Tanner Horner, as prosecutors continue to build their case for the death penalty in the 2022 killing of 7-year-old Athena

What to Know The trial will be livestreamed and live blogged in this article. The judge has warned that the trial will include graphic testimony and video. NBC 5 has decided to cut away from particularly graphic parts of the testimony.

Part of a letter that Tanner Horner wrote to the family of Athena Strand when Horner attempted suicide at the Wise County Jail in May 2023. The letter was shown on Monday, April 13, 2026, to the jurors who will decide Horner’s punishment for the capital murder of 7-year-old Athena. Wise County Sheriff’s Office

Athena Strand's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, took the stand Wednesday afternoon, facing her daughter's killer in one of the most emotional moments of the trial so far, telling the courtroom and Tanner

Horner's letter to the Strand family was apologetic and placed blame for the girl's death on him, but a letter to detectives blamed someone else.