[Archive 2008-10-25] Mother, brother of singer Jennifer Hudson found murdered, others reported missing

Historical archive — originally published 2008-10-25. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

In what appears to be a domestic disturbance, the mother and brother of American singer and Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson were shot and killed in their home in Chicago, Illinois. Hudson's nephew has also been reported kidnapped from the crime scene and his mother cannot be located.

Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason, were found dead at about 2:44 p.m. (CDT) in Southern Chicago. Reports indicate that a relative found the bodies and called 9-1-1. Police say that there is no evidence of forced entry into the house.

An AMBER Alert has been issued for Julian King, the 7-year-old nephew of Hudson. Police say that he was taken from the scene in a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban or a teal-green Chrysler Concorde. Police previously thought it likely that the boy was with William Balfour, whose relationship to Hudson or her family is not yet known, except that he listed Hudson's mother's address as a place of residence with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Balfour is currently in police custody and is being questioned, but King was not with him. Police say that the AMBER Alert remains in effect.

TMZ.com reports that Balfour is currently on parole from serving time in prison for attempted murder. Authorities consider him armed and dangerous. TMZ also notes that Hudson's sister Julia, Julian's mother, cannot be located and has not been seen since she ended her bus driving shift earlier in the day.

Unconfirmed reports have stated that Hudson was not at the house at the time of the incident. While some reports indicate that she was in Los Angeles, California where she was scheduled to begin filming a new music video on Monday, Agence France-Presse says that Hudson was in Tampa, Florida, and is now on her way back to Chicago.

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Text adapted from Mother, brother of singer Jennifer Hudson found murdered, others reported missing by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.