Charges have been filed in Los Angeles in connection with the alleged murder of Christina Downer, who went missing in September 2025. Her brother, Saturday Night Live writer Jimmy Fowlie, publicly appealed for help finding her. Her body has not yet been found.
Her longtime boyfriend, 41-year-old actor and aspiring R&B artist Delorean Brandon, is accused of murder. Kaylee Markowski, 34, whom prosecutors describe as his girlfriend, is charged with assisting after the crime, including allegedly helping conceal the body. Both have been arrested, and bail for each was set at $2 million. Brandon faces life in prison; Markowski faces up to three years in county jail. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Court documents describe a series of breakups and mutual accusations. In September 2025, Brandon asked a court for a protective order against Markowski, claiming that after their breakup she had threatened him and tried to interfere with his relationship with Downer. But the day before a hearing scheduled for September 23, he withdrew his petition. In California, a judge may first issue a temporary restraining order without a hearing involving both parties if the judge believes urgent protection is needed. A hearing is held later, at which both sides present their arguments, and the judge decides whether to extend the order. The process depends on the type of order and the circumstances of the case.
A year earlier, Downer herself had sought protection from Markowski, alleging threats, stalking and blackmail involving private videos. She had also tried to get her ginger cat, Pumpkin, back.
Downer was reported missing shortly before Christmas 2024, after her former husband asked police to check that she was safe and her family soon became concerned as well. Her phone was later found on a beach in Santa Monica, and police searched an Airbnb property in Joshua Tree. The locations fall under different jurisdictions: Santa Monica is a separate city in Los Angeles County, while Joshua Tree is in San Bernardino County. In investigations spanning multiple cities and counties, the lead agency is usually determined by where the incident took place, while other departments help share information, conduct interviews and coordinate their efforts. The available information does not establish which agencies were involved in this case.
Downer’s brother wrote that someone may have used her phone and social media accounts to conceal her disappearance and make it seem as though she had chosen to vanish voluntarily. Prosecutors have also charged Brandon with assaulting his wife in 2022.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(748x362:750x364)/jimmy-fowlie-christina-downer-122325-1a-f198aa031b8f417ba0a54f3fd14ed09d.jpg)
