“Saturday Night Live” writer Jimmy Fowlie said that his sister, Christina Downer, is “no longer alive” four months after he shared that she went missing and that her death is being investigated as a homicide. The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently contradicted Fowlie’s statement, saying Downer’s case has not been reclassified.
“The LAPD has informed our family that Christina is no longer alive, and the case has officially transitioned from a missing person to a homicide investigation,” Fowlie wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “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.”
In a statement to The Times, however, L.A. police said Downer’s case was “suspicious” but was not yet being investigated as a homicide.
The Times reached out to Fowlie for clarity but hasn’t heard back.
Fowlie said that the family had “reason to believe” that in the weeks before she went missing, her phone and social media were compromised and that whoever had Downer’s phone used it to hide “the fact that she was gone,” request money and create an illusion that she’d skipped town and gone off the grid.
“I am sharing this because I believe that whoever is responsible is hoping to erase her in every way possible,” Fowlie continued. “I want to amplify her story in the only way I know how. And to express that she was a beautiful person who matters in this world, especially to me.”
Fowlie said that he was still holding out hope that someone who knew something might step forward. “My sister can no longer advocate for herself, but I can and I hope you will too.”
The Times contacted the LAPD to get an update on Downer’s case. According to police the Robbery-Homicide Division is still investigating Downer’s disappearance.
“Although the circumstances of her disappearance are suspicious, Ms. Downer has not been located, and her case has not been reclassified as a homicide,” the LAPD said in a statement. “RHD will diligently investigate this case until a resolution can be reached. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Robbery-Homicide Division at (213) 486-6850.”
In December of 2025, Fowlie shared a missing person flier on Instagram and said in the caption that Downer had been missing and the family was concerned for her safety. In a separate post, he shared a photo of Downer and her dog, Rex, and wrote in the caption that his sister was very attached to the dog and that if followers spotted her there was a good chance Rex would be in tow.
According to the post, Downer was last seen in Koreatown. “I heard from her on Nov 26th. She was active on social media up to Dec 15th,” he wrote, adding that detectives advised the family not to share certain details as it might compromise the case. Fowlie also shared to his followers that Downer had no history of mental illness and had never “dropped off” before.
The post ‘SNL’ writer Jimmy Fowlie says sister’s case now a homicide investigation; LAPD says it is not appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
