206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Heather Lauren Downs

Death by Force
Case Description
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Heather Lauren Downs, a 50-year-old computer scientist from Palo Alto, California, tragically died on December 13, 2017, in what authorities have determined to be a murder-suicide. Downs was found dead alongside her partner, Selene Kalista Makarios, 57, at their home on Tuscany Court. The police were alerted to the scene after neighbors reported hearing gunshots. Upon arrival, officers discovered both women had succumbed to gunshot wounds. The San Mateo County Coroner's Office later confirmed th ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (9)
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  • The Mercury News: East Palo Alto shooting: Victims identified, murder-suicide affirmed by police
  • KTVU: 2 women found dead in possible East Palo Alto murder-suicide
    •     ...View 7 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Heather Lauren Downs

    Female

    Palo-alto

    CA

    2017-12-13

    50

    Heather

    Lauren Downs

    11/21/2025

    Forum Posts (2)
    I stumbled across this case again today and can't stop thinking about Heather Lauren Downs' involvem... ...Read More
    12/26/2024
    Hi everyone,
    I've been following the Downs and Makarios case, and I really wanted to talk about t... ...Read More
    01/11/2023
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