Man Charged With Killing Former SNL Writer's Sister

Delorean Bijon Brandon, 41, was charged Monday with the murder of Christina Downer, 38. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed one count of murder, alleging the crime occurred on or about September 19, 2025. Downer’s body has not been found.

Brandon, who lived in Los Angeles, is also facing two felony counts of injuring a spouse. These charges stem from a 2022 incident involving his wife. According to the criminal complaint, Brandon has prior convictions from 2008 for robbery and attempted robbery, as well as a 2015 conviction for criminal threats.

Downer was the sister of Jimmy Fowlie, a former writer for Saturday Night Live. Her ex-husband requested a welfare check on December 18, 2025, after not hearing from her for an extended period. At that time, Brandon told police that Downer had moved out of their home several months earlier. He claimed she left behind all her belongings, including her vehicle and her dog.

Detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division took over the case after Downer’s cellphone washed ashore at Santa Monica Beach. The team arrested Brandon and Kaylee Markowski, 34, last Thursday. Markowski, identified by prosecutors as Brandon’s girlfriend, was charged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact. She is accused of helping Brandon dispose of Downer’s body.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement that more than a year has passed since Downer vanished. He noted that her family and friends have dealt with uncertainty amid the loss. Hochman vowed that the prosecution would hold both defendants accountable for their actions.

Fowlie posted on Instagram on April 29 that LAPD officials informed the family Downer was no longer alive. He said the case transitioned from a missing person investigation to a homicide. Fowlie stated he was sharing the news to amplify her story and emphasize that she was a beautiful person who mattered in the world.

Investigators searched an Airbnb property in Joshua Tree last month in connection with the disappearance, according to NBC4. The station cited LAPD sources for the lead. Brandon faces a potential life prison term if convicted as charged. Markowski could face up to three years in county jail. Arraignment for both defendants was postponed until December 29.