The Murder of Danielle and Kennedy Hoyle

The Memphis Police Department opened the investigation on the night of February 1, 2022, after an officer discovered Danielle Hoyle's abandoned vehicle on Sedgewick Drive. Danielle's body was found nearby with a gunshot wound to the head. Kennedy was not present at the scene. A multi-agency search immediately began: Memphis Police, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, and a dive team searched the Mississippi River near Mud Island for the infant. An Amber Alert was issued the following morning.

Brandon Isabelle was identified as a suspect and detained on February 2. Sergeant Jacoba Boyd of the Memphis Police Department led the interrogation, which lasted approximately three hours. Isabelle's account changed multiple times; he initially claimed he had met Danielle at a Mapco gas station to exchange baby clothes, a story that fell apart under questioning. Boyd testified that Isabelle appeared relaxed during the interrogation and slept during breaks. He eventually admitted to shooting Danielle and throwing Kennedy into the Mississippi River. He told investigators he threw Kennedy into the river because he did not want to be a single parent. He also took investigators to the river and pointed out where he had thrown her; searchers found only a baby hat near the water.

The forensic investigation was extensive. TBI Special Agent Michael Garner of the Digital Forensics Team extracted and analyzed data from cell phones belonging to Isabelle, Danielle Hoyle, and Artesha Stewart. GPS data from Isabelle's phone mapped his movements from midnight on February 1 through the early hours of February 2, tracing his route to Whitehaven, to Cordova, and to Mud Island. Video surveillance confirmed his presence at the Walmart dumpster where Kennedy's car seat was discarded, and at the Walgreens where he purchased gifts for Stewart after the killings. Forensic pathologist Dr. Scott Collier performed Danielle's autopsy and confirmed she died of five gunshot wounds.

The recorded confession was played for the jury at trial. Lead investigator Brian O'Nan testified about the scene and the physical evidence. Despite extensive search efforts along the Mississippi River, Kennedy's body was never found. Investigators stated the search for her remains would continue. At trial, the prosecution presented over 30 witnesses across seven days, and Isabelle's own recorded confession formed a central part of the state's case.