Memphis man sentenced to life for killing newborn daughter and mother

MEMPHIS, TN – A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his newborn daughter and her mother. Brandon Isabelle, 28, received consecutive sentences totaling 96 years for the killings of 27-year-old Danielle Hoyle and their infant daughter, Kennedy Hoyle. He was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Isabelle had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The sentences included 51 years for the murders and an additional 45 years for aggravated child neglect and especially aggravated kidnapping.

The events leading to the sentencing began on January 30, 2022, when Isabelle learned that Hoyle was in labor. Following the birth of Kennedy, he sent numerous texts to a new girlfriend while at the hospital, indicating a desire to end his relationship with Hoyle.

On February 1, shortly after Hoyle and her baby were released from the hospital, Isabelle met them under the pretense of delivering baby clothes. He persuaded Hoyle to drive along a secluded road where he shot her multiple times before leaving her body in a ditch.

Authorities detailed that Isabelle then took his daughter and abandoned her in the Mississippi River. Law enforcement later recovered Hoyle’s body, while Kennedy’s remains have not been found.

Isabelle was arrested after police discovered blood on his socks matching that of Hoyle. He was stoic during the court proceedings and received the sentence earlier this week in a Shelby County courtroom.

Shelby County chief prosecutor Eric Christensen expressed the family’s relief regarding the sentencing. He emphasized the commitment to justice for the victims.

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