Cellphone Washes Ashore, Leads To Arrests In Christina Downer Murder Case

A cellphone that washed ashore elevated the missing person case of Christina Downer to a homicide investigation in Los Angeles, and now two suspects have been arrested: Delorean Bijon Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski.

The Cellphone

Eyewitness News reported that the cellphone washed up on Santa Monica Beach. The outlet discussed the “investigative techniques” used in the case, although it isn’t clear which ones ultimately led police to the suspects.

However, the outlet noted that police “identified Brandon and Markowski as being responsible for Downer’s murder, the disposal of her body and the concealment of their involvement.”

Who Is Delorean?

Delorean Bijon Brandon is an actor whose credits include Clipped, Gang Related and Coolaid: The Movie.

Christina Downer was the sister of Saturday Night Live writer Jimmy Fowlie. NBCLA uncovered another connection between Downer, Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski: both Downer and Brandon had previously sought restraining orders against Markowski.

According to the outlet, Downer filed hers roughly a year before she disappeared. The restraining-order cases were eventually dismissed because the parties didn’t appear in court.

A Missing Person Case

The New York Times reported that initially, Downer was treated as a missing person after her ex-husband, who has not been implicated in the case, “requested a welfare check on Dec. 18, 2025, when he hadn’t heard from her.”

Brandon was her boyfriend, and he claimed that “she had moved out several months earlier, leaving behind everything she owned including her car and dog, according to the LAPD.”

An Airbnb Search

Her brother, Jimmy Fowlie, was concerned about his sister and shared photos of her on social media. There isn’t much confirmed information about the investigation, but the Los Angeles Times reported that detectives searched “an Airbnb in Joshua Tree” in connection with Downer’s disappearance.

However, it isn’t clear what, if anything, investigators found during that search or what evidence led police to Delorean Bijon Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski.

Last Seen In Koreatown

When KTLA 5 shared the report on YouTube, the anchor explained that Christina Downer was 38 at the time of her disappearance. According to her brother, she was last seen in Koreatown about “a year ago.”

Police allege that Downer was murdered and that the two suspects “dumped Downer’s body and attempted to cover up the crime.” The report also noted that “family members believe someone took control of Downer’s phone and social media accounts.”

The Arrest Details

ABC7 reported that Brandon and Markowski were arrested on October 29 on suspicion of murder. They were booked under California Penal Code §187(a), with bail set at $2 million each.

What happens next isn’t clear yet. There don’t seem to be any later reports saying whether the LAPD has handed the case over to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. At the time of writing, no formal murder charges have been reported.

Viewers React

True crime followers who watched the KTLA 5 report discussed the news in the comments section.

One of them, referring to SNL, commented, “Will they mock this? They do everything else.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• “Honestly, tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone.”
• “I’ll never understand why these idiots think it’s easier to murder somebody than just break up with them.”
• “I also wonder why they don’t just move along and get on with their lives. It seems crazy how many folks think it’s easier to just murder someone.”

Your thoughts? Join the discussion, and then come back for more true crime news and updates. We also have a true crime channel on TikTok that you can follow.