'SNL' writer Jimmy Fowlie says sister's case now a homicide investigation; LAPD says it is not

“Saturday Night Live” writer Jimmy Fowlie said that his sister, Christina Downer, is “no longer alive” 4 months aft helium shared that she went missing and that her decease is being investigated arsenic a homicide. The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently contradicted Fowlie’s statement, saying Downer’s lawsuit has not been reclassified.

“The LAPD has informed our household that Christina is nary longer alive, and the lawsuit has officially transitioned from a missing idiosyncratic to a homicide investigation,” Fowlie wrote connected Instagram connected Wednesday. “Our prayers for her to beryllium recovered safely person transformed into prayers for the information to beryllium revealed and for those liable to beryllium held accountable.”

In a connection to The Times, however, L.A. constabulary said Downer’s lawsuit was “suspicious” but was not yet being investigated arsenic a homicide.

The Times reached retired to Fowlie for clarity but hasn’t heard back.

Fowlie said that the household had “reason to believe” that successful the weeks earlier she went missing, her telephone and societal media were compromised and that whoever had Downer’s telephone utilized it to fell “the information that she was gone,” petition wealth and make an illusion that she’d skipped municipality and gone disconnected the grid.

“I americium sharing this due to the fact that I judge that whoever is liable is hoping to erase her successful each mode possible,” Fowlie continued. “I privation to amplify her communicative successful the lone mode I cognize how. And to explicit that she was a beauteous idiosyncratic who matters successful this world, particularly to me.”

Fowlie said that helium was inactive holding retired anticipation that idiosyncratic who knew thing mightiness measurement forward. “My sister tin nary longer advocator for herself, but I tin and I anticipation you volition too.”

The Times contacted the LAPD to get an update connected Downer’s case. According to constabulary the Robbery-Homicide Division is inactive investigating Downer’s disappearance.

“Although the circumstances of her disappearance are suspicious, Ms. Downer has not been located, and her lawsuit has not been reclassified arsenic a homicide,” the LAPD said successful a statement. “RHD volition diligently analyse this lawsuit until a solution tin beryllium reached. Anyone with accusation astir the lawsuit is urged to interaction Robbery-Homicide Division astatine (213) 486-6850.”

In December of 2025, Fowlie shared a missing idiosyncratic flier connected Instagram and said successful the caption that Downer had been missing and the household was acrophobic for her safety. In a abstracted post, helium shared a photograph of Downer and her dog, Rex, and wrote successful the caption that his sister was precise attached to the canine and that if followers spotted her determination was a bully accidental Rex would beryllium successful tow.

According to the post, Downer was past seen successful Koreatown. “I heard from her connected Nov 26th. She was progressive connected societal media up to Dec 15th,” helium wrote, adding that detectives advised the household not to stock definite details arsenic it mightiness compromise the case. Fowlie besides shared to his followers that Downer had nary past of intelligence unwellness and had ne'er “dropped off” before.