Memphis man on trial for murder in 2022 death of girlfriend and newborn tossed into Mississippi River

A Memphis man is on trial for the 2022 deaths of his girlfriend and their newborn daughter, after prosecutors say he shot Danielle Hoyle and then tossed the two-day-old baby into the Mississippi River, where alligators are known to inhabit the waters. Brandon Isabelle, 28, faces two counts of first-degree murder and additional charges in the case, which prosecutors say began with him luring Hoyle to a meeting in Memphis and bringing the infant with him.

Kennedy, the couple’s newborn daughter, weighed 6 pounds and measured 17 inches at birth. Her body has never been recovered, and authorities have said she was tossed into the Mississippi River at a boat ramp on Mud Island. Investigators say the gun used in the killing was also discarded in the river at a separate nearby location. The case drew widespread attention as police and search crews conducted aerial and riverine searches for the infant before a breakdown of the investigation.

Isabelle was arrested in 2022 after police located an abandoned vehicle and found Hoyle’s body in the vicinity. Authorities say Hoyle had been shot in the head, and family members told investigators that the baby had been with Hoyle at the time. A search operation followed, including the issuance of an Amber Alert for Kennedy. At one point, Kennedy’s car seat was found abandoned in a Walmart parking lot, but there was no sign of the infant.

According to a police affidavit, Isabelle told officers he lured Hoyle to the location where the woman’s body and the car were later found and that he shot her. Prosecutors say he then drove to Mud Island on the Mississippi River, threw Kennedy into the water, and subsequently discarded the gun used in the killing at another nearby location. He has pleaded not guilty to murder and related charges, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated child abuse and neglect, and tampering or fabricating evidence.

The trial began this week, with opening statements expected on Tuesday, according to court records. Kennedy’s devastated maternal grandmother, April Campbell, expressed grief at the time, telling local outlets that she had only held her granddaughter once for about 10 minutes and urged swift justice for Hoyle and Kennedy. Hoyle worked at FedEx and is survived by another daughter who is not described in the filings.

This case has heightened concerns about domestic violence and infant safety, and authorities emphasize that the investigation remains a matter of public record as the court process continues. While authorities have described the events as deliberate and premeditated, the courtroom will determine the extent of Isabelle’s responsibility across multiple charges as prosecutors present their case.