This browser does not support the Video element.
‘SNL’ writer Jimmy Fowlie gives update on missing sister
"Saturday Night Live" writer Jimmy Fowlie took to Instagram on Wednesday to share that his sister, Christina Downer, is "no longer alive." The post comes four months after Fowlie revealed that she had gone missing.
LOS ANGELES - The search for the missing sister of "Saturday Night Live" writer Jimmy Fowlie has taken a turn as the family and local authorities offer conflicting accounts of the investigation’s status.
What we know:
Christina Lynn Downer, 38, was last seen in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles in late November and was reported missing in December.
Her brother, Jimmy Fowlie, took to Instagram on April 29 to state that the Los Angeles Police Department informed his family she is "no longer alive."
Fowlie also detailed that his sister’s phone and social media were compromised in the weeks before her disappearance to create a "false narrative that she was going ‘off the grid’" and to ask for money.
What we don't know:
The LAPD issued a statement Thursday asserting that "Ms. Downer has not been located, and her case has not been reclassified as a homicide."
It remains unclear who was operating Downer’s social media accounts in mid-December or if any physical evidence has been discovered that would lead the family to believe she is dead.
Christina Lynn Downer / LAPD
What they're saying:
"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.
He added, "The individuals in possession of her phone used it to hide the fact she was gone... I believe that whoever is responsible is hoping to erase her in every way possible."
Contradicting this, the LAPD stated: "Although the circumstances of her disappearance are suspicious, Ms. Downer has not been located... The [Robbery-Homicide Division] will diligently investigate this case until a resolution can be reached."
What's next:
The Robbery-Homicide Division continues to investigate the disappearance.
Fowlie has urged the public to share his sister’s story in hopes that someone with information will come forward.
The LAPD is asking anyone with details regarding Downer’s whereabouts or the potential compromise of her digital accounts to contact them at (213) 486-6850.
The Source: This report is compiled from verified Instagram statements posted by Jimmy Fowlie and official press releases issued by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division.