Overview
- The defense continued its case Friday in Fort Worth, calling Horner’s mother and other witnesses to argue for life in prison.
- An environmental health expert testified that Horner’s bone lead levels were about 24 times higher than a comparison group.
- Family members described a childhood shaped by abuse, addiction, bullying, and diagnoses that included autism and ADHD.
- Prosecutors earlier showed interior truck images, audio of Athena’s final moments, and DNA findings that tied Horner to the 2022 abduction and killing.
- The punishment phase is expected to run into early May at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, and a death sentence in Texas requires a unanimous jury.