Tarrant County, Texas - The sentence for a man convicted of brutally murdering a young girl in a van was debated for weeks. Now, the decision has been made.

On Tuesday, FedEx driver Tanner Horner was sentenced to the death penalty by lethal injection for the killing of seven-year-old Athena Strand.

"Tanner Horner is proof why parents hug their children a little tighter," Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said, per The Sun.

On November 13, 2022, Horner hit Strand with his van as he was delivering a package, which he used as an opportunity to lure the little girl into the vehicle and abduct her.

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The 250-lb. man strangled the girl and then threw her into a body of water. DNA traces were also found on her genitals, suggesting sexual abuse.

April 7 was the first day of the trial in the case, where the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to the murder.

When he learned of his sentence, Horner stared straight ahead without expression – no reaction, no remorse.

"What he took from this world, not just a child, he took a light, a future and a piece of every single person who loved her," Elijah Strand, Athena's uncle, said in court.

"You are a footnote in Athena's story. Her name will forever be remembered. Her name will forever be celebrated. Everyone will forget you," Elijah said to the killer.

The three-week trial sapped the strength of everyone involved.

They were shown the graphic audio and video footage from inside the van, which District Attorney Stainton described as "horrific."

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The delivery driver's defense attorney stated that Horner suffered from brain damage, and it was also argued that he allegedly showed remorse, confessed to the murder, and even led officers to the spot where he dumped the body in the water.

The exact date of the murderer's execution has not yet been set, and Horner has the right to appeal the verdict.