Two arrested for murder of Christina Downer, sister of SNL writer Jimmy Fowlie
Photo: Daily MailLos Angeles police said Friday that they had arrested two people on suspicion of murdering Christina Downer, 38, the sister of Saturday Night Live writer Jimmy Fowlie. Police arrested Downer's boyfriend, Delorean Bijon Brandon, 41, and Kaylee Nicole Markowski, 34, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. Downer was reported missing in December 2025 after her ex-husband asked for a welfare check. Police said Brandon had claimed she moved out months earlier and left behind her car, belongings and dog. Detectives took over the case after Downer's cellphone washed ashore at Santa Monica Beach. Police allege that Brandon and Markowski disposed of her body and concealed their involvement. Both were booked for murder and are held on $2 million bail. Earlier this month, investigators searched an Airbnb property in Joshua Tree with K-9 units. Detectives plan to present the case to the LA County District Attorney's Office for filing.
Right-leaning Daily Mail leads with the arrests and the Joshua Tree search, adds that the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department assisted, and dates the missing report to December 15, a date the other sources do not give. Left-leaning CBS News and NBC News also lead with the arrests and attribute the details to LAPD releases. CBS gives December 18 as the missing date, while NBC highlights Brandon's initial claim and the Joshua Tree search. Alternative sources The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline lead with the same arrests and bail, and The Hollywood Reporter adds Fowlie's social media appeal and his April update on his sister. All sides agree on the arrests, booking, bail and cellphone discovery, and they differ mainly on the missing date and on which supporting details they feature.
How the sides differ Right source Daily Mail stresses the Joshua Tree search and a December 15 missing date; left and alternative sources cite December 18.
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CBS and NBC lead with LAPD releases and the arrests, attributing claims to police and quoting Brandon's initial account to the department. NBC also features the Joshua Tree search.
The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline lead with the arrests and bail, with The Hollywood Reporter featuring Jimmy Fowlie's social media appeal and his April announcement.
Daily Mail leads with the arrests and the Joshua Tree search, adding sheriff's department assistance and attributing details to police and NBC Los Angeles.