MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Court TV) — A Memphis police sergeant testified that Brandon Isabelle confessed to shooting Danielle Hoyle multiple times and throwing their two-day-old daughter, Kennedy, into the Mississippi River during a lengthy interrogation in February 2022.
Sgt. Jacoba Boyd of the Memphis Police Department took the stand during the sixth day of Isabelle’s murder trial, describing how the defendant’s story changed multiple times before he ultimately admitted to the killings. Isabelle faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 22-year-old Danielle Hoyle and baby Kennedy on Feb. 1, 2022.
Brandon Isabelle appears in court during his murder trial Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (Court TV)
MORE | TN v. Brandon Isabelle: Baby in the River Murder Trial
Boyd testified that Isabelle initially claimed he met Danielle at a Mapco gas station to exchange baby clothes, but that story quickly fell apart under questioning. After confronting Isabelle with inconsistencies in his timeline, the defendant changed his account, claiming he met Danielle in a secluded area where she gave him the baby before he left.
The sergeant said investigators continued pressing Isabelle with evidence and inconsistencies until he finally confessed to the murders. According to Boyd’s testimony, Isabelle described luring Danielle to the secluded, tree-lined location where he shot her in the upper torso area, then driving to the Mississippi River, where he threw baby Kennedy and a 9mm handgun into the water.
From there, he stopped at Walgreens, where he purchased a six-pack of Sprite and gifts for his girlfriend.
The sergeant said GPS evidence from Isabelle’s phone corroborated his movements throughout the day, from his parents’ house in Cordova to Mud Island, where he allegedly disposed of Kennedy. Video surveillance also confirmed Isabelle’s alleged confession, including his stop at a Walmart dumpster to dispose of Kennedy’s car seat.
Boyd became emotional during his testimony, explaining that investigators were focused on finding the baby alive and knew they were working against the clock.
Boyd described taking Isabelle to the river, where he pointed out the location where he claimed to have thrown Kennedy. Searchers found only a baby hat belonging to Kennedy near the water. The infant’s body was never recovered despite extensive search efforts.
Throughout the interrogation, which lasted approximately three hours with breaks, Boyd stated that Isabelle appeared relaxed and even slept during downtime periods.
Physical evidence recovered from the scene included multiple shell casings that matched Isabelle’s confession about using a Glock 9mm handgun. A magazine with live rounds was also found in Isabelle’s car. Boyd confirmed that all the physical evidence corroborated what Isabelle told investigators during his confession.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
