The trial has begun for a Tennessee man accused of killing his girlfriend and their 2-day-old daughter in 2022.
Brandon Isabelle, 28, reportedly persuaded Danielle Hoyle, 27, to meet him in Memphis with their newborn daughter. According to WMC, police officers later located Hoyle’s body near her empty car while on the lookout for stolen vehicles in the vicinity.
Before discovering her body, officers found her abandoned car, checked the license plates, and reached out to her family — who confirmed they hadn’t heard from her since she had left with her daughter. While officers found Hoyle shot fatally in the head, they were unable to find her newborn daughter.
Isabelle, who was promptly apprehended, reportedly confessed to shooting Hoyle before removing the baby from the car seat and taking her to Upper Mud Island Boat Ramp. There, he purportedly discarded the baby and the murder weapon in the Wolf River, which connects to the Mississippi River, as reported by WMC.
An AMBER Alert was issued for the newborn, but her body was never found.
Isabelle is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse or neglect, and aggravated kidnapping.
According to WREG, Isabelle was recorded stating that he killed Hoyle and their daughter because he did not want the child. Although Isabelle’s attorneys argued that the confession was illegally obtained, a judge ruled that the confession was admissible and could be used in the trial.
Jury selection was completed on Monday. Opening statements are expected to begin on Tuesday.
[Feature Photo: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation]
