MEMPHIS, TN – As the trial of a Memphis man accused of the brutal murders of his infant daughter and her mother unfolds, prosecutors this week detailed a series of events that have drawn national scrutiny and left a city searching for answers.
Brandon Isabelle, 28, faces a string of serious charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse or neglect, and aggravated kidnapping. Authorities allege that Isabelle meticulously planned the deaths of 27-year-old Danielle Hoyle and their newborn, Kennedy Hoyle, in what appeared to be a calculated effort to remove them from his life. Isabelle has entered a plea of not guilty.
According to investigators, the timeline began on January 30, 2022, when Isabelle learned that Hoyle, with whom he once shared a brief relationship, was about to give birth. He was present at the hospital as she went into labor, but court records reveal that Isabelle was communicating with another woman throughout the night. This woman, identified as a FedEx co-worker, is believed to have played a significant emotional role in the unfolding tragedy.
Testimony in court described how Isabelle’s new girlfriend reportedly did not want to be involved with a man who had another child or the so-called encumbrances of a previous relationship. Prosecutors say Isabelle was desperate to maintain this new relationship, even as his daughter Kennedy was born in the early hours of January 31.
After Kennedy’s birth, Isabelle continued to pursue his new relationship, meeting the woman in the hours after leaving the hospital. Authorities stated that although nothing was resolved during that discussion, the seeds of what happened next had been sown.
On February 1, Danielle Hoyle and infant Kennedy left the hospital and spent time with family before Hoyle agreed to meet Isabelle, who said he wanted to bring baby clothes. They arranged to connect at a convenience store, with Kennedy sleeping in the back seat. Instead, prosecutors say Isabelle lured Hoyle to an empty, dark roadway.
Court documents outline the chilling details of what happened next. Isabelle is accused of opening Hoyle’s car door and shooting her five times. Afterward, he allegedly left her body face down in a nearby ditch. The prosecution described how Isabelle then took Kennedy from her car seat, placed her in his own vehicle, and fled, leaving behind a crime scene bathed in early February rain.
Investigators say Isabelle returned home, changed clothes, and soon set out again—this time to Mud Island along the Mississippi River, allegedly captured by surveillance cameras. There, he is accused of removing Kennedy from her car seat and throwing her into the cold water. Her tiny cap was later found resting on the riverbank, but authorities have yet to recover her body.
Prosecutors told jurors that after the killings, Isabelle attempted to conceal his involvement by disposing of evidence and purchasing gifts for his new girlfriend. He allegedly sent text messages to Hoyle’s phone, knowing she would never respond, and threw away the car seat at a nearby retail store, where it was discovered later.
The investigation gained momentum when a Memphis police officer discovered Hoyle’s abandoned car during a routine patrol and later found her body. The officer reported that there was no sign of the missing child or her car seat at the scene.
As police closed in, Isabelle and his new girlfriend were detained and questioned. Forensic evidence became crucial—blood found on Isabelle’s socks was matched to Hoyle, and authorities say he eventually confessed to discarding both the firearm and his daughter in the river.
Records also revealed a grim detail: the date of these alleged murders, February 1, coincided with Isabelle’s own birthday, adding a haunting layer to the prosecution’s narrative.
During opening statements, prosecutors urged jurors to consider the weight of the witness accounts, DNA evidence, and surveillance footage in their deliberations. The defense has so far limited its remarks, simply reminding the jury that the burden of proof lies with the state.
The trial is set to continue Wednesday, as the city and the families involved wait for justice and the details behind the tragedy continue to come to light.