MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A funeral was held Saturday for 27-year-old Danielle Hoyle, who was shot and killed two days after giving birth to her newborn daughter, Kennedy Hoyle.
The services were held at Brown Missionary Baptist Church.
Police said Danielle was shot and killed by her child's father, Brandon Isabelle, on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. A Memphis Police officer found Danielle's body in the area of Sedgwick and Levi laying next to her abandoned vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head. She was dead at the scene.
Isabelle is also accused of kidnapping his then two-day-old daughter Kennedy Hoyle, and throwing her body in the Mississippi river. The newborn has not been found, and the police continue to search for her remains.
According to the police affidavit, Isabelle waived his fifth amendment rights during questioning, admitting to police that he lured Danielle and their daughter Kennedy into the E. Levi Road and Sedgwick Street area and shot her.
The affidavit states that Isabelle also told police that he took his then two-day-old daughter Kennedy, out of the car, drove her to Island Park and the Upper Mud Island Boat Ramp, where he then tossed the child into the the Mississippi River.
Investigators said Isabelle also originally told police that he tossed the gun that he shot Danielle Hoyle with into the Mississippi River and Wolf River Delta.
Isabelle was charged with two counts of first degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, tampering with and fabricating evidence, and murder in the perpetration of a felony.
He appeared in court for the first time on Monday, February 14, where he retracted his admittance to guilt, pleading not guilty to all charges.
Isabelle is scheduled to appear in court on February 22.
Danielle Hoyle leaves behind her 9-year-old daughter, Jariyah Hoyle.