Two Arrested in Death of SNL Writer's Sister
Ex-husband voices suspicion as actor boyfriend and associate are taken into custody.
Two individuals, including the boyfriend of a woman reported missing late last year, have been arrested in connection with her death. Delorean Bijon Brandon, 41, and Kaylee Nicole Markowski, 34, were taken into custody Thursday by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). They are accused of killing Christina Downer, disposing of her body, and concealing their involvement.
Ryan Downer, Downer's ex-husband, told the Daily Mail that he had harbored suspicions about her disappearance since late last year. "I just knew that she was afraid of that guy and had a restraining order on him," he said, referring to Brandon. The couple divorced in 2023 but remained on amicable terms.
Christina Downer was reported missing on December 15, 2025, though her last contact was in late November, according to the LAPD. Brandon had initially told authorities that she had moved out months prior, but her belongings, including her car and dog, remained. Her cellphone later washed ashore at Santa Monica Beach, prompting the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division to take over the investigation.
Brandon was arrested in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and Markowski was arrested in Tarzana. Both are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center with bail set at $2 million each. The motive for the alleged killing has not yet been disclosed.
In April, Christina's brother, SNL writer Jimmy Fowlie, shared on Instagram that investigators had informed his family she was "no longer alive." He also stated that there was reason to believe her phone and social media were compromised in the weeks before she vanished, with individuals using them to conceal her absence, solicit money, and create a false narrative.
Weeks before the arrests, detectives searched an Airbnb in Joshua Tree and combed the surrounding desert with K-9 units and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The LAPD has not confirmed if the searches were for evidence or to locate remains.
Downer told the Daily Mail that he was relieved authorities were addressing the case, stating, "We just want to know what happened because none of it makes any sense."