TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — The trial for the man accused of killing Athena Strand was moved to Tarrant County, the court announced Wednesday.
A Wise County judge granted a change of venue request for Tanner Horner last month. He is accused of killing 7-year-old Athena Strand nearly two years ago. He faces a capital murder charge and the state is seeking the death penalty.
The 297th Judicial Court in Tarrant County will hear the case, which has been delayed amid controversy over who will represent Horner, according to previous WFAA reporting. In September, Horner's defense team argued that he would not receive a fair trial in Wise County because of publicity associated with the case.
However, changing the venue now also gives Horner less strategy to lean on if he's convicted and appeals that conviction while on death row, WFAA previously reported.
Almost 72 hours after Athena went missing on Nov. 30, 2022, police recovered her body from a creek and arrested Horner, who confessed to backing into Athena and strangling her because she would likely tell her father about being hit, authorities said.
He later dumped Athena's body into a waterway and eventually led investigators back to the area whenever police connected him to the package, per court records.
Judge David Hagerman will now preside over the case. He has served as a judge in Tarrant County since 2015, according to his LinkedIn.
The Tarrant County venue will also allow more room for spectators, of which there are expected to be many.
The trial is scheduled to begin on March 17, 2025.
