'SNL' writer's missing sister case leads homicide detectives to Joshua Tree months after family's murder claim

Los Angeles police homicide detectives searched the Joshua Tree area for evidence related to the disappearance of Christina Lynn Downer, sister of “Saturday Night Live” writer Jimmy Fowlie. The search follows a period where the family believed Downer was dead, though the LAPD initially stated she had not been located and the case remained a missing person investigation. The family also alleged that Downer’s phone and social media accounts were used to conceal her disappearance.

• LAPD homicide detectives searched the Joshua Tree area for evidence in the disappearance of Christina Downer.
• Downer, sister of “Saturday Night Live” writer Jimmy Fowlie, disappeared in late November 2025.
• Fowlie announced in April that police informed the family his sister was dead, transitioning the case to a homicide investigation.
• The LAPD previously disputed Fowlie’s claim, stating Downer had not been located and it remained a missing person case.
• The family suspects Downer’s phone and social media were used to fabricate a narrative of her voluntarily disappearing.
• The LAPD has not confirmed the exact location or nature of the evidence sought in Joshua Tree.