{"id":3596,"date":"2026-04-21T08:41:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bbncnews.online\/?p=3596"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:41:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:41:39","slug":"a-grieving-father-faced-the-man-who-took-his-7-year-old-daughter-then-his-final-words-left-the-courtroom-in-tears-jacob-strand-stood-just-feet-away-from-the-man-convicted-in-the-dea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bbncnews.online\/?p=3596","title":{"rendered":"A GRIEVING FATHER FACED THE MAN WHO TOOK HIS 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER \u2014 THEN HIS FINAL WORDS LEFT THE COURTROOM IN TEARS\u201d Jacob Strand stood just feet away from the man convicted in the death of his young daughter, but instead of rage, what filled the room was something far more devastating. With a trembling voice, he spoke about the pain no parent should ever carry \u2014 and the guilt that has followed him every day since losing his child. He admitted the thought that haunts him most: that he should have been there, that he should have protected her. Those words alone silenced the courtroom, but what he said next left even hardened observers shaken. \ud83d\udc49 The emotional moment everyone is talking about is in the first comment \u2014 and the final line is something no one was prepared to hear."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Athena Strand\u2019s father misses her spirit and laugh, hopes jury \u201cmakes right decision\u201d in sentencing Tanner Horner<\/h3>\n
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Athena Strand\u2019s father, Jacob Strand, took the stand Thursday morning, facing his daughter\u2019s killer and making an emotional plea to the court to make the right decision in punishing Tanner Horner. This comes just one day after\u00a0Athena\u2019s mother, Maitlyn Gandy\u2019s, emotional testimony<\/span>.\"WhereHorner\u00a0pleaded guilty to killing 7-year-old Athena Strand<\/span>\u00a0just moments before his capital murder trial was set to begin last week. Despite his plea, a sentencing phase of the trial is underway, in which Horner still faces the death penalty.<\/p>\n

For more than a week, a Tarrant County jury has heard testimony, seen and heard graphic video evidence of the days leading to and after Athena Strand\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Jacob Strand told the jury about his relationship with his daughter and the last moments he shared with her.<\/p>\n

Just a girl with her Barbies and cowgirl boots<\/h2>\n

Jacob Strand said one of his favorite memories of Athena Strand was when he found her filling up a horse trough with water, so she could swim with her toys and Barbies while wearing her dress and cowgirl boots.<\/p>\n

Her favorite things included \u201cas every little girl was Frozen, unicorns and getting dirty,\u201d Jacob Strand said.<\/p>\n

He smiled as he recalled the adventures that they had together, which included mostly enjoying the outdoors \u2013 camping, hiking and being at the lake.<\/p>\n

The last time Jacob Strand saw his daughter alive<\/h2>\n

\"Live<\/p>\n

The prosecutor then turned to grab a Barbie set \u2013 the Christmas gift that Horner was supposed to deliver the day Horner admitted to striking Athena Strand with his truck, panicking, kidnapping her and strangling her.<\/p>\n

Jacob Strand described the moment before learning his daughter was missing. He said after work that day, he spent time with Athena Strand and her sibling before leaving for a camping trip with his dad.<\/p>\n

He said after telling them bye and hugging Athena Strand, she ran back up to him as he was backing out of the driveway.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was backing up, she ran up to the truck because she wanted to give me another hug,\u201d Jacob Strand said. \u201cI told her not to run up on me as I was backing up\u2026 I gave her another hug and told her I love her.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that was the last time he saw his daughter alive.<\/p>\n

After he was notified, she was missing. He thought she was playing hide-and-seek because she was really good at that.<\/p>\n

As tears began to roll down his face, he recalled searching for her every day the authorities would let him. \u201cI know the woods like the back of my hand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

With more tears falling, he said it was \u201chard\u201d after hearing his daughter\u2019s body had been found.<\/p>\n

Jacob Strand said he began to feel guilty that he wasn\u2019t there to protect her, and he self-destructed as time went on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just kind of held everything in, and it broke me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said he turned to alcohol, and his marriage fell apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t sleep, and I would only eat like every seven days, and I lost like 50 pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over time, Jacob Strand went to therapy along with his other children.<\/p>\n

He said he still lives on the property where Athena Strand went missing, and he\u2019s found a place to talk to her \u2013 her favorite fruitless pear tree that she would climb and hang from with her sister.<\/p>\n

Jacob Strand doesn\u2019t believe Tanner Horner\u2019s story<\/h2>\n

The prosecutor then asked Jacob Strand about the letter that Horner wrote to law enforcement, apologizing to him and his family.<\/p>\n

Horner\u2019s\u00a0two-page letter<\/span>\u00a0to the Strand family, which was read aloud by the prosecution a few days prior, opened up with him saying: \u201cI want to start by saying how sorry I am about Athena.\u201d He also described how he felt terrible and prayed for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you believe him?\u201d the prosecutor asked Jacob Strand.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n

He ended his testimony by saying what he missed about his daughter \u2013 her spirit and her laugh. \u201cShe loved everybody,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Before leaving the stand, he left the jury with this: \u201cI just hope that the jury and the justice system makes the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecution rests after sharing video and audio of Athena Strand\u2019s final moments<\/h2>\n

Thursday, the prosecution\u00a0played graphic audio<\/span>\u00a0of Athena Strand\u2019s abduction and murder for jurors.<\/p>\n

The judge warned that the videos shown would be \u201cvery graphic\u201d and ordered all cameras to be turned off, and no cellphones were allowed.<\/p>\n

The video showed a sequence of events beginning when Horner covered up a camera on the vehicle he was in and lifted Athena Strand inside.<\/p>\n

Athena Strand is last seen standing beside Horner appearing confused and asking repeatedly, \u201cWhere are we going?\u201d before Horner covers up a second camera inside of the cab.<\/p>\n

Horner was heard asking Athena Strand questions such as: \u201cHow old are you?\u201d, \u201cWhere do you go to school?\u201d, \u201cYou\u2019re really pretty, you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

He later pulled over, and that\u2019s when Athena Strand is heard telling Horner \u201cno\u201d and crying.<\/p>\n

The video after Athena Strand\u2019s final moments showed Horner cleaning up the back of his truck at a gas station.<\/p>\n

Athena Strand\u2019s parents were not present in court when the graphic audio played. Following the audio and video portions, the\u00a0prosecution rested<\/span>\u00a0its case.<\/p>\n

The defense now has its turn to mount its case.<\/p>\n

The jury is not expected to return to the court room until Wednesday, April 22.<\/p>\n