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. We will return to the trial as soon as we are able. Viewer discretion is advised.
- A complete live blog on the day’s events at trial appears below the article.
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The defense rested its case Monday in the Tanner Horner capital murder trial, with closing arguments expected Tuesday morning.
Horner has admitted to kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Athena Strand in November 2023. He now faces punishment of either life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
After the defense rested Monday morning, prosecutors called a rebuttal witness who testified about prior sexual assault allegations involving Horner. The witness, identified only as Billy, told jurors he was a family friend who was raised as Horner’s cousin and that the two grew up together from about age 3.
Billy testified that he had wanted to speak with prosecutors and said he told Horner’s attorneys that, but said he was ignored. He told the court he was called to testify only after he recently posted on Facebook about what he said Horner had done to him.
“And out of impulse, I made a Facebook post,” Billy said.
Billy testified that the alleged abuse happened when he and Horner were children and that their families were renting homes on a farm at the time. He also testified about another alleged incident that he said happened a few years later. In both cases, he said Horner exposed himself, masturbated and demanded oral and anal sex.
“I figured the truth needs to be told,” Billy said. “He deserves to pay for everything that he’s done.”
Billy said Horner liked to pretend to play Dragon Ball Z when they were younger but that it just “ended up him just beating us up and kneeing us in the stomach.”
Horner scribbled notes on a notepad during the testimony and passed them back and forth to his attorneys. The defense questioned Billy’s timeline.
Jurors also heard from the defense’s final witness, who testified that she does not think Horner is violent or has a criminal mind. The state called two other rebuttal witnesses, including one who testified about whether Horner is and would be a danger even in prison.
The prosecution and defense are expected to give closing arguments on Tuesday, and each side will be given about a half hour for closing remarks before the jury begins deliberating Horner’s sentence.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.