28-year-old man, who threw his 1-day-old daughter in a freezing river after shooting her mother to death just because he wanted them out of the picture so he could be with another woman, pleaded not guilty

Tennessee – In a deeply disturbing case in Tennessee, a 28‑year‑old man, identified as B. Isabelle, stands accused of orchestrating the cold‑blooded murders of his 1‑day‑old daughter and the child’s 27‑year‑old mother, identified as D. Hoyle, crimes prosecutors say he committed simply because he didn’t want them interfering with his new romantic relationship. The alleged actions, described in graphic detail by prosecutors, point to premeditation and cruelty in what has become one of the state’s most horrifying homicide trials in recent memory.

Isabelle faces charges of first‑degree murder, aggravated child abuse or neglect, and aggravated kidnapping in the deaths of Hoyle and their 1‑day‑old daughter. Despite the weight of the accusations and a trail of forensic evidence, Isabelle has entered a not guilty plea. According to prosecutors, Isabelle wanted Hoyle and their infant daughter “out of the picture” because the woman he was currently involved with—someone he had met after a brief relationship with Hoyle—had made it clear she didn’t want to raise someone else’s child or deal with another “baby mama.” Determined to keep that new relationship alive, Isabelle allegedly carried out a calculated, two‑part murder.

The timeline begins on January 30, 2022, when Isabelle visited Hoyle in the hospital after learning she had gone into labor. While there, he was also texting his new girlfriend, attempting to keep their shaky relationship afloat. At the very hour his daughter was born, Isabelle was reportedly pleading with the other woman not to abandon the relationship. By February 1, Hoyle and her newborn had returned home and introduced the baby to family. That same day, Isabelle contacted Hoyle and said he would bring baby clothes. She agreed to meet him at a gas station. But prosecutors assert that Isabelle never intended to hand over the clothing.

When Hoyle arrived with her newborn in the backseat, Isabelle allegedly persuaded her to drive to a desolate, darker road. Once parked, prosecutors say he opened the passenger door and fired five shots into the car, striking Hoyle in her head and face. He then dragged her body into a ditch so dark that only her bright pink shoes were visible. With the infant still in the backseat, Isabelle removed her—still secured in her car seat—placed her in his own vehicle, and drove off. Yet, prosecutors contend he still had “one more problem to take care of.”

After returning home to change clothes, Isabelle drove to the riverfront peninsula, a surveillance‑monitored location. There, he allegedly removed the newborn from her seat, grabbed her by the leg, and threw her into the freezing waters of the river. Her tiny cap was later found resting on the riverbank. After the killings, Isabelle went to a store to buy gifts for his girlfriend, sent text messages to Hoyle despite knowing she was dead, and even dumped the car seat at another store—later recovered by a Good Samaritan.

Law enforcement’s investigation intensified when an officer, during a routine patrol, ran Hoyle’s license plate and discovered she was missing. He returned to the area and found her body, though no trace of the infant. The baby’s body has never been located. However, forensic analysis revealed Hoyle’s blood on Isabelle’s socks, and Isabelle ultimately admitted he threw the murder weapon into the river as well.

As the trial progresses, prosecutor A. Carpenter warned jurors they would be shown compelling evidence—from surveillance footage to witness testimony to DNA. “Once you’ve heard all the evidence… the state will ask that you find the defendant guilty of each and every count.” Hoyle’s mother, overcome with grief, added, “I want him to suffer like he made my baby suffer. He needs to suffer. Why would you hurt a baby?”

As courtroom proceedings continue, the magnitude of life lost weighs heavily—two souls, one fresh into existence, the other full of promise, both cut short by betrayal. The prosecution meticulously pieces together a narrative of calculated violence and ruthless intent. All the while, a grieving mother and a shocked community seek understanding in a tragedy without reason. The jury’s verdict will decide if legal justice is delivered—but it cannot restore what was stolen under the cover of that night.