Texas trial examines love triangle as man stands accused of killing girlfriend and tossing newborn into Mississippi River

On the second day of the criminal trial in Texas, prosecutors say Brandon Isabelle, 28, lured Danielle Hoyle to meet him in Memphis, shot her in the head, and dumped their newborn daughter Kennedy into the Mississippi River, an area known for its alligators. Kennedy's body has never been recovered, and Isabelle faces first-degree murder charges in Hoyle’s death and in the death of the infant, according to court records and testimony presented to jurors.

The case centers on a volatile dating history. Isabelle was married with a five-year-old child and was reportedly living separately from his wife while dating Hoyle and a second woman, Artesha Stewart. Stewart testified that she believed Isabelle was single when they began their relationship, only to later learn that he was married and separated. The witnesses described a tense love triangle, with Hoyle and Stewart exchanging barbs and messages as the investigation unfolded. Prosecutors say the relationships intersected with the events surrounding Kennedy’s birth and Hoyle’s murder.

Hoyle’s mother, April Campbell, testified that she repeatedly warned her daughter about dating a married man. Campbell said she told Hoyle, “If he’s married, how do you think he’s going to treat you?” She acknowledged learning that Isabelle was working toward separation, though Campbell said she initially wanted her daughter to be happy despite her concerns about the relationship.

Stewart offered jurors a window into the love triangle, recounting intimate details about her relationship with Isabelle. She testified that she believed Isabelle was single when they began seeing each other, and that she eventually learned he was married and then separated. The two women reportedly exchanged messages about one another and about Isabelle, reflecting tensions that intensified as Hoyle’s pregnancy unfolded and the case moved toward a homicide investigation.

Prosecutors allege that after Isabelle learned Hoyle was pregnant, he discussed the situation with Stewart and indicated that he did not want to be involved in caring for a child. The defense has maintained that Isabelle is not guilty, and he has pleaded not guilty to murder in the perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated child abuse and neglect, and tampering or fabricating evidence.

The timeline of events, as described in court, shows Hoyle introducing her newborn to her mother at the family home on February 1, 2022. Campbell spent time with Kennedy, bonding with the baby and taking photos, before Hoyle left for what would become a fatal meeting with Isabelle in Memphis. Prosecutors say Isabelle lured Hoyle to a boat ramp in Mud Island on the Mississippi River, where he shot her and disposed of Kennedy in the river. Investigators later recovered the child’s car seat abandoned at a Walmart parking lot, triggering an Amber Alert that led to a wide search for Kennedy and Hoyle.

Authorities have said that Kennedy weighed about 6 pounds and measured roughly 17 inches at birth. The investigation also involved locating the firearm used in the killing and tracing its disposal to a separate location near the river. A police helicopter and other search efforts helped monitor the Mississippi River and its surrounding areas as investigators pursued leads.

Isabelle was arrested in 2022 after officers found Hoyle’s body near the scene of the shooting and traced the case through interviews and digital communications. He has since been held on charges including first-degree murder, unlawful detention, and related offenses. The trial, which continues to unfold in Texas, is expected to include additional testimony from other family members, law enforcement personnel, and forensic experts as prosecutors and defense attorneys lay out the evidence and their interpretations of the events surrounding Kennedy and Hoyle.

This case has drawn attention to the dynamics of complex relationships, custody considerations, and the far-reaching consequences of extraordinary personal disputes, culminating in a fatal crime that prosecutors say was carried out with calculated intent. As the trial proceeds, jurors will weigh the credibility of testimony about the love triangle, the alleged deception, and the sequence of actions that ended in a fatal shooting and the disappearance of a newborn into a river notorious for its dangerous wildlife and unpredictable conditions.