“Saturday Night Live” writer Jimmy Fowlie said 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 later 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 been moved from a missing person investigation to a homicide investigation,” Fowlie wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “Our prayers for her to be found safe and sound have been transformed into prayers for the truth to be revealed and for those responsible to be held accountable.”
However, in a statement to the Times, Los Angeles police said Downer's case was “suspicious” but was not yet being investigated as a homicide.
The Times contacted Fowlie for clarity but did not receive a response.
Fowlie said the family had “reason to believe” that in the weeks before her disappearance, her phone and social media were compromised and that whoever had Downer's phone used it to hide “the fact that she was gone,” solicit money and create the illusion that she had skipped town and gone off-grid.
“I'm sharing this because I believe whoever is responsible is hoping to erase it in every way possible,” Fowlie continued. “I want to amplify her story the only way I know how. And express that she was a beautiful person who matters in this world, especially to me.”
Fowlie said he was still hopeful that someone who knew something might come forward. “My sister can no longer defend herself, but I can and I hope you can too.”
The Times contacted Los Angeles police for 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,” Los Angeles police said in a statement. “RHD will diligently investigate this case until a resolution can be reached. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Robbery-Homicide Division at (213) 486-6850.”
In December 2025, Fowlie shared a missing person flier on Instagram, saying in the caption that Downer was missing and the family was concerned for his safety. In a separate post, she shared a photo of Downer and her dog, Rex, and wrote in the caption that her sister was very attached to the dog and that if followers saw her, there was a good chance Rex was in tow.
According to the publication, Downer was last seen in Koreatown. “I heard from her on November 26. She was active on social media until December 15,” he wrote, adding that detectives advised the family not to share certain details because they could compromise the case. Fowlie also shared with his followers that Downer had no history of mental illness and had never “gone down” before.
