Two arrested in death of SNL writer's sister after 10-month search
Delorean Bijon Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski were taken into custody on murder charges following the discovery of Christina Downer's phone on a Santa Monica beach.
By Ethan Cook ·
The investigation into the disappearance of Christina Downer, sister of a Saturday Night Live writer, has moved from a missing persons case to a murder inquiry. The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Friday that two individuals have been arrested in connection with her death.
Downer was last contacted in December 2025. Her ex-husband requested a welfare check after she failed to respond for an extended period. At that time, her boyfriend, Delorean Bijon Brandon, told police she had moved out months earlier. He claimed she left behind her vehicle, her dog, and all of her personal belongings.
The case shifted to the Robbery-Homicide Division after Downer's cellphone washed ashore on Santa Monica Beach. Detectives used that evidence to link Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski to the crime. Police stated that the pair was responsible for killing Downer, disposing of her body, and hiding their involvement.
Authorities arrested Brandon, 41, in the 6000 block of Garvanza Avenue in Los Angeles. They took Markowski, 34, into custody in the 6000 block of Tampa Avenue in Tarzana. Both suspects were booked at the Metropolitan Detention Center on suspicion of murder. Bail was set at $2 million for each defendant.
The Robbery-Homicide Division plans to send the case files to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for review. The investigation remains active, and police have provided specific phone numbers for the public to submit tips to the West Bureau Section or L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers.
