Jennifer Hudson's mom, brother found murdered in Chicago (all updates here)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEAKNOUMu3c]

The body of Julian Hudson has been found, shot multiple times in the back of Jason Hudson’s SUV.  All updates here.

October 26

Update:  Hudson and her family are offering a $100,000 reward her nephew’s safe return, The Associated Press reported.

UPDATE 9:43 ET Chicago police said today that Balfour has been transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections on a violation of parole. Police said the violation is “independent from this investigation.” [this means that police do not have to sweat the deadline of 9:00PM tonight to either charge Balfour or release him.  Truth be told, until this is all sorted out, being in custody is probably the best thing for his own personal safety]

UPDATE:  Jennifer Hudson has joined the crusade for her missing nephew, Julian King, via her MySpace blog.

It reads: “Thank you all for your prayers and your calls. Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely. If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately. Here is a picture of Julian and what he was last seen wearing. Once again thank you all for being there for us through this tough time.”

Sincerely,
The Hudson Family

October 25

Update: Obama Family, campaign, express support: Michelle and I were absolutely heartbroken to learn about this unimaginable tragedy and we want Jennifer to know that she is in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time,” the Illinois senator said. “We also pray for the swift and safe return of her young nephew.”

Hudson sang the national anthem during the Democratic National Convention in August after a personal request from Obama’s camp.

“That was the biggest honor, I feel like, in my career – one of the greatest moments,” Hudson told PEOPLE earlier this month. “I had to separate myself emotionally so I didn’t get too emotional while I was singing because I can’t sing and cry at the same time…. I was lucky to be a part of it.”

“She has done so much for the campaign. Everyone here was just so shocked and saddened,” Obama’s campaign said about Hudson in a statement issued to PEOPLE.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEdctv_bdDk&feature=related]

This is my personal fave:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRSNmJpqSX4&feature=related]

UPDATE: Family Pleads for safe return of missing boy in afternoon press conference:  The family of Chicago-born, Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson is pleading for the safe return of her 7-year-old nephew, who has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were found dead in their Englewood home.  “All I ask, I don’t care who you are, just let my baby go. Please. I just want my son,” the actress’ sister, Julia Hudson, said in a tearful plea for the safe return of her son at Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church, the family’s church.Asked if anyone would want to take the boy, she said, “I don’t know. I don’t care. I just want him back.”

Julian’s father, Greg King, spoke outside the church briefly. “I just want my son,” King said. “He needs to come home.”

Julia Hudson said her son was very close to his grandmother, who took care of him when Hudson went to work.

Speaking to the public, Hudson said, “I want you to keep your eyes and your ears open.”  Hudson said the deaths of her mother and brother has left her close-knit family “in a state of shock.”  When she called her sister, Jennifer, Julia said the Oscar winner “was screaming” and “flew in right away.  It hurts,” she said. “I don’t know what else to do besides pray.”

UPDATE 5:25 ET: Jennifer Hudson returned home today as the family gathered for a prayer service in honor of her mother and brother, who were killed yesterday. Family members said they would hold a private gathering at the Pleasant GIft Missionary Baptist Church. It is where they reportedly went to church while growing up on Chicago’s South Side.

Update 4:20 ET: Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, each suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Update 3:00PM ET Confirmed; J. Hudson identifies mother, brother at morgue Jennifer Hudson visited the Cook County Medical examiner’s office overnight with other family members to identify the bodies of her mother and brother, according to the office.

Update 3:00PM ET:  Police believe the murders happened about 11 a.m. and started outside with the gunman firing through the door and striking Hudson’s brother, according to a law-enforcement source. The gunman then entered the house and continued to fire, striking Hudson’s mother when she entered the room. Police have recovered shell casings from the scene.

Update: Jason Hudson had been living at the family home after being shot about two years ago during a home invasion at a suburban home, Buckner said. Jason Hudson was shot in the leg, and had been recovering.

“He was more or less a happy individual, trying to get his life straitened out,” a relative said. “We nearly lost him a couple years ago.”

Update: FBI needed:  Chicago Police called in the help of the FBI in the search for the boy, Police Supt. Jody Weis said this morning.  Enough time has passed that it’s a possibility the boy was taken across state lines, Weis said.  “When a certain amount of time passes, that’s why we would reach out to the FBI,” Weis said. “We’re going to use any resource we can to solve it.”

Update: Jesse Jackson finds his way into the mix-  Balfour’s mother said her son and Julia Hudson were separated and that Donerson had thrown him out of the family home last winter. While standing outside the Wentworth Area police station Friday night with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Michele Balfour denied that her son had anything to do with the slayings.  Family members said she spoke with him Friday afternoon and he seemed as if he had been sleeping. There was no trace of panic or anxiety in his voice, they said.

“I didn’t raise no murderer,” Michele Balfour said. “He was not a child abductor. They have the wrong person.”

[ I think it would be fanstastic if Jesse Jackson would take a long vacation out of the country, so we do not see or hear from him for a very, very long time]

Update:  Julia Hudson, sister to Jennifer and mother of missing Julian, logged onto her Myspace Page today and listed her mood as “numb”…

Update: Here is a pic of William’s sister, Sensuous, as on display on her facebook page.  I think it’s great that she’s 15 years old looking like a tramp on the floor- now that’s great parenting folks!

UPDATE: William Balfour’s mother, Michelle Davis-Balfour said she had asked police to allow her 15-year-old daughter, Sensuous, to talk with William Balfour, but said authorities would not let her speak to him.  [sidebar; Sensuous?  wtf?!  Why didn't you just name her Hoochie, or Skank?!  WTF?!  Talk about a name you don't want to put on a resume!]

“Out of no means did my son do this. This heinous crime to this family is unbelievable. It’s unbearable,” she said. 

UPDATE: 7 year old Julian King is not the biological child of William Balfour, per William’s MySpace page.

Update 6:12AM ET: William Balfour’s mother, Michelle, said her son had been married to Hudson’s sister, Julia, for several years, but they were separated. She also said Donerson had ordered him to move out of the family’s home last winter.  “I’m not going to let them put my son down,” said Balfour’s mother.

“My son had nothing to do with this . . . and I’m very upset with the police because they are refusing to let me see my son.”

Update 3:43AM ET: Sources say Balfour has refused to provide information on King’s location.

October 24

Update 10:24PM: A man suspected in the shooting deaths of the mother and brother of Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson was in custody Friday evening, although the whereabouts of Hudson’s young nephew were still unknown, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

William Balfour was arrested about five hours after Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson; and brother, Jason Hudson; were found slain inside a South Side home Friday. Still missing was Donerson’s grandson, 7-year-old Julian King, who went missing after the slayings, possibly taken from the house in the Englewood neighborhood, Chicago police said.

UPDATE 9:20 PM ET: A WBBM reporter is saying that neighbors have said a family member in the Hudson household apparently tried to steal a car a few weeks ago, an argument ensued, and he vowed revenge. A photo on Julia’s MySpace page (bottom) posted prior to today’s events alludes to some kind of dispute with William over a car.

UPDATE: Next door neighbor speaks out: Angela Russell, who lives next door to Donerson on Yale Avenue in the South Side neighborhood of Englewood, says that she thinks that Hudson’s sister Julia was having domestic troubles with her husband, whom she had talked about divorcing.

“It has been pretty rough for a while,” says Russell. “We do know that Ms. Hudson’s oldest daughter was having trouble with her husband. We do know that there were some domestic issues going on and we believe that is what this all about.  We know the Amber Alert is out and the police just held a police conference,” Russell says. “We are still waiting for Jennifer to get here. We know that Julia is still with the police at the station.”

UPDATE: CONFIRMED– Lisa Kasteler, the Oscar-winning actress’ rep, confirmed to the AP that Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donnerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, were shot at their home on the south side of Chicago.

“We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson,” Kasteler said in the statement to the AP. “No further comment will be made and the family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”

UPDATE 8:35 PM ET: Lost in all this is Jennifer’s sister Julia, mother of the missing 7-year-old. We’re told she works as a bus driver in Chicago. Her employer told us she worked her shift today. She hasn’t been seen since. (From TMZ)

Update: The police said that they are searching for a William Balfour as a suspect in the double homicide. They said he is considered to be armed and dangerous.  Public records indicate the Suburban is registered to Jason Hudson, who neighbors said is Jennifer Hudson’s brother.

This is the man police are looking for:

Update: A search is under way for a young boy who is missing from the home. A child, possibly Jennifer Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, is missing, according to sources. Police are searching for an SUV that was seen in the area, a 1994 white Suburban, Illinois license plate number X584859.

 This is the little boy, presently missing

Very sad news today for my favorite Dream Girl

From the Chigaco Trib:

A relative of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson is believed to be one of two people found slain in a South Side home, according to a police source.

According to public records, the home is owned by Darnell Donerson, Jennifer Hudson’s mother.

Jennifer Hudson is not injured, her bodyguard told the Tribune before referring all questions to a publicist.

One of the victims was a woman in her 50s who was shot in the head and the other was a 29-year-old man who was shot in the chest, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The spokesman did not have the victims’ identities.

Chicago Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said at least one victim is “believed to be” a relative of Jennifer Hudson.

The shooting was believed to be related to a domestic disturbance, Bond said, stressing that this was preliminary information.