A 7-year-old lady who went lacking earlier this week from her North Texas residence – prompting an Amber Alert – has been discovered lifeless, authorities introduced Friday. A FedEx driver has been arrested on kidnapping and homicide fees.
Athena Strand had went lacking Wednesday night from her father's residence in Paradise, Texas, CBS DFW reported, prompting an enormous multiagency search involving a whole bunch of volunteers.
Her physique was situated Friday night — because of a tip investigators had acquired earlier within the day — Sensible County Sheriff Lane Akin introduced in a information convention late Friday evening.
The suspect, recognized as 31-year-old Tanner Lynn Horner, was taken into custody Friday on fees of capital homicide and aggravated kidnapping, Akin mentioned.
Horner was a FedEx contract driver who had delivered a bundle to Strand's residence at concerning the time she disappeared, Akin disclosed.
"We knew early on within the investigation that there had been a FedEx driver, made a supply in entrance of the home, about the identical time that little Athena, 7-year-old Athena, got here up lacking," Akin mentioned.
Investigators consider that Strand died "inside the very hour or so after her departure from her residence," Akin added.
He additionally indicated that Horner had confessed to the crime, and famous that investigators had obtained "digital proof," however didn't elaborate.
"We do have a confession," Akin mentioned.
FedEx cooperated with investigators, Akin additionally confirmed.
The reason for Strand's loss of life was not launched, or the precise location she was discovered. Her physique was situated southeast of the Sensible County city of Boyd, Akin mentioned.
Horner of Lakeworth, Texas, is being held on $1.5 million bail.
The FBI, Texas Rangers Division, the Texas Division of Household and Protecting Companies and the U.S. Marshals Service have been all concerned within the investigation, in keeping with CBS DFW.
On the night of Strand's disappearance, the sheriff's workplace mentioned, it acquired a name from Strand's stepmother reporting her lacking after the 2 had an argument whereas her father was not residence, CBS DFW reported.
Paradise is situated within the Dallas-Forth Value-Arlington metro space, about 40 miles northwest of Fort Value.