LAPD Arrests Two in Murder of 'SNL' Writer's Sister

The Los Angeles Police Department has booked two adults for the killing of Christina Downer, the sister of 'Saturday Night Live' writer Jimmy Fowlie.

Detectives identified Delorean Bijon Brandon, 41, and Kaylee Nicole Markowski, 34, as the primary suspects. Brandon, who was Downer's boyfriend, was taken into custody in Highland Park on Thursday. Markowski was arrested in Tarzana the same day. Police believe the pair killed Downer, disposed of her body, and covered up the crime.

Downer's disappearance came to light during a welfare check on Dec. 18, 2025. At the time, Brandon told officials that she had moved out, leaving behind her car and dog. The case gained momentum when her cell phone washed ashore at a Santa Monica beach. That discovery led authorities to search an Airbnb property in Joshua Tree, a high desert location several hours from the city. The search involved K-9 units and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Fowlie announced on April 29 that his sister was no longer alive. He stated that investigators found her phone and social media accounts had been compromised in the weeks before she vanished. The suspects used her devices to request money and to fabricate a story that she was traveling 'off the grid.'

"Our prayers for her to be found safely have transformed into prayers for the truth to be revealed and for those responsible to be held accountable," Fowlie wrote in a post dated April 29.