The boyfriend of "Saturday Night Live" writer Jimmy Fowlie's sister, Christina Downer, has been charged with her murder, nearly a year after she first went missing.
Delorean Brandon, 41, was charged with one count of murder and two felony counts of injuring a spouse, prosecutors announced Monday, Nov. 2. A second person, 34-year-old Kaylee Markowski, was charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact.
Prosecutors alleged that Brandon killed Downer, 38, whose body has never been found, around Sept. 19, 2025, while Markowski is accused of helping him dispose of Downer's body. Prosecutors describe both Downer and Markowski as Brandon's girlfriends.
"More than a year has passed since Christina Downer vanished and her family and friends have
dealt with uncertainty amid the profound loss of someone they loved so much," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. "Although Ms. Downer has not been located, we are charging two individuals today who are accused of playing a role in her death and disappearance and we will hold them accountable for their actions."
If convicted, he faces life in prison, while Markowski faces up to three years in county jail. According to Los Angeles County inmate records viewed by USA TODAY, Brandon was arrested Thursday, Oct. 29, and is currently in custody on $2 million bail.
Prosecutors note Brandon is also charged with assaulting his wife in two separate 2022 incidents. USA TODAY has reached out to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for clarity on whether the wife is Downer, Markowski or another unnamed woman.
According to Los Angeles County Superior Court records, Brandon had filed multiple restraining orders against Markowski in recent years, while Downer had filed a restraining order against Markowski a year before her disappearance.
Fowlie spoke out about Downer's disappearance in December, revealing his sister was last seen in Los Angeles and hadn't been heard from since late November. In April, Fowlie shared an update, noting his family was informed by the Los Angeles Police Department that "Christina is no longer alive."
"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, 41, wrote on Instagram at the time.
The Emmy-winning writer added that the family believed Downer's "phone and social media were compromised" weeks before she went missing, which they feel were used to request money and "create a false narrative that she was going 'off the grid.'"
The Instagram post appears to be Fowlie's last update on the investigation.
Fowlie has been an "SNL" writer since 2022, including on multiple episodes in 2026. He is also credited as a writer on the Sadie Sandler-led, R-rated Netflix comedy "Roommates," as well as "A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter" and several shorts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boyfriend of 'SNL' writer's missing sister charged with murder
