Brandon Isabelle allegedly told detectives in a recorded interview that he killed his girlfriend Danielle and their newborn daughter Kennedy because he didn’t want the child
A man has been found guilty of killing his girlfriend and throwing their two-day-old daughter into a river after a seven-day trial.
Brandon Isabelle, 28, had pleaded not guilty to all charges after being indicted in the murders of Danielle Hoyle, 27, and their baby, Kennedy Hoyle. But a jury has recommended that he is sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 51 years.
According to the prosecution, Isabelle and Danielle both worked at FedEx and were in a sexual relationship, which led to Danielle becoming pregnant.
Attorney Dru Carpenter said that at the same time, Isabelle was dating another FedEx employee who wanted to end her relationship with him because of the baby.
Danielle gave birth to Kennedy on January 31, 2022, and after being released from the hospital, she allegedly met with Isabelle at his request.
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The prosecution alleged that Isabelle said it was so he could give her baby clothes – but that was a lie. They say he lured Danielle to Sedgwick Street and Levi Road before fatally shooting her in the head and taking the baby with him.
From there, he allegedly drove to the Mud Island Ramp and threw his two-day-old daughter into the Mississippi river, which is infested with alligators.
The investigation began when an officer found Danielle’s abandoned vehicle with a broken window on February 1, 2022. Her body was found nearby with an apparent gunshot wound to her head, according to an affidavit.
Danielle’s family told officers that she was meeting Isabelle with their two-day-old daughter, Kennedy – who was missing.
Isabelle was quickly developed as a suspect. A day after finding Danielle’s body, he was in police custody.
Investigators testified that Isabelle admitted to luring Danielle to an intersection and shooting her before taking Kennedy and ‘tossing the child’ into the Mississippi River. Isabelle allegedly told detectives in a recorded interview that he killed Danielle and Kennedy because he didn’t want the child, reported WREG .
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After their murders, investigators testified that he went to a Walgreens to buy gifts for another girlfriend and then disposed of Kennedy’s car seat in a Walmart dumpster. Kennedy’s remains have not been found.
It comes after a man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after starving his two-month-old son to death through “agonising” neglect.
Kristopher Matthews, 40, was found guilty of aggravated child abuse in August. And now disturbing details have emerged about baby Karson’s heartbreaking short life.
Prosecutor C.J. Robinso said in a statement that the infant was born weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces. Two months later, he died weighing significantly less – a clear sign of prolonged starvation.
“In an interview with law enforcement, Kristopher Matthews admitted he never once fed his child and claimed he had no obligation to do so because he was the father,” Robinson stated.
He also revealed that Matthews had never taken Karson to a doctor following his release from the hospital after birth.
Robinson compared the photos from the 2018 investigation to scenes from a horror movie. “This withered child’s body was nothing but a dirty, skin-covered skeleton,” he said. “A haunting image that no one who saw it will ever forget.”
Karson’s mother, Shirley Matthews, was also convicted of aggravated child abuse in July 2024. She received the same sentence – 20 years in prison.
“Kristopher and Shirley Matthews completely destroyed the life of their baby boy by neglecting his existence until he died,” Robinson said. “This was one of the hardest cases we’ve ever prosecuted. The suffering and agonizing death of this baby was completely avoidable.”
