William “Flex” Balfour has been officially charged with three counts of first degree murder and one count of home invasion in relation to the October murders of Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew, a spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office confirms to Usmagazine.com.

The lone suspect, who was arrested Monday on the charges, will face a judge in Chicago Wednesday for a bond hearing, spokesperson Tandra Simonton tells Us.

Balfour, 27, has been held in custody in the Stateville Correctional Center – which is about 45 miles west of Chicago – on violation of parole stemming from an attempted murder conviction in 1999.

Balfour is the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister, Julia.

The couple had had screaming matches and had “been having problems, but I never expected anything like this,” neighbor Angela Russell told Us the week after the murders.(Balfour’s mother has insisted her son “had nothing to do with this.”)

Hudson, who won an Oscar in 2006’s Dreamgirls, says she’s grateful to her fans for helping her bounce back after the tragedy.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” she wrote on her MySpace blog Nov. 14. “My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern. jhud”

Source

Jennifer Hudson’s family announced Thursday a new foundation for families of murder victims.

The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims is named in honor of the singer-actress’s slain mother Darnell Hudson Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and nephew Julian King.

“The specific purpose of the Foundation is to care for the needs of families who have lost relatives to a violent crime,” the family says in a statement. “This encompasses their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter as well as grief counseling.”

Donations to the Hudson-King Foundation can be sent:
c/o Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP
Attn: William L. Abrams, Esq.
237 West 35th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001

The foundation announcement followed a prayer vigil Wednesday night in Chicago.

“Jennifer sang her first song in this church – she said her first prayer in this church,” her cousin Shari Nichols Witt said of the Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church. Witt also spoke fondly of the actress-singer’s slain nephew, saying 7-year-old Julian King “seemed like he was ahead of his time.”

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who spoke at the vigil, told PEOPLE that Hudson, 27, and her family “are overwhelmed by the suddenness and the unexpectedness of it all. This family knows triumph, and they also know tragedy.”

As the community grieved the loss of the Dreamgirls star’s relatives, the 27-year-old parolee considered a suspect in their shooting deaths, William Balfour, remained in police custody Thursday.

Balfour – the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister Julia – was being held on an alleged parole violation.

Source

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office is investigating reports on Monday of a child’s body found in an SUV in Chicago, a spokesperson for the office told CNN.

The Chicago Tribune — citing the medical examiner’s office — reported that the body of a boy was found Monday morning in a white SUV connected with Julian King, the missing nephew of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson.

Police issued an Amber Alert for Julian, 7, who has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were found dead in their home Friday

They also asked people to look out for a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban with Illinois license plate X584859.

Julian is described as being 4-feet-11 and 130 pounds. He was wearing a striped brown polo shirt and khaki pants when last seen, authorities said in the Amber Alert.

Over the weekend, Oscar-winning actress Hudson offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of her nephew.

A spokeswoman for Hudson confirmed the reward, the latest development in the investigation of the shooting deaths of Hudson’s relatives and abduction of her nephew, Julian King.

“Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely,” Hudson said in a posting on her MySpace page Sunday. “If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately.”

Hudson also posted two pictures of her nephew wearing the brown-and-orange striped polo shirt he was last seen in.

Earlier, Hudson viewed the bodies of her mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, the Cook County medical examiner’s office told CNN Sunday. They were found shot to death Friday in their South Side Chicago home.

Police confirm they have taken a person into custody but are not saying who.

MORE OF THE STORY AFTER THE JUMP! (more…)

One day after Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were found shot to death in their Chicago home – and her nephew Julian King was kidnapped – the Oscar winner’s sister Julia made an impassioned plea for her son’s return.

“I don’t care who you are, just let the baby go,” Julia Hudson said in a press conference held at the Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday. “I just want my son. He don’t deserve this.”

An Amber Alert was issued for the boy, Julian King, 7, on Friday and named Julia Hudson’s estranged husband, William Balfour, 27, as a suspect in the slayings. Balfour is in police custody for questioning, but no charges have been filed.

An autopsy confirmed that Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, died of gunshot wounds.

“It hurts,” Julia Hudson said of her mother and brother’s deaths. “We’re in a state of shock. I don’t know what else to do but pray.”

With the boy’s father, Greg King, by her side, Julia Hudson asked the public to keep an eye out for him, mentioning that he responds to nicknames like “Juice Box” and “Dr. King.” “He’s out there. Just let him go,” she said. Addressing her son, she added: “I love you. Mama’s looking for you.”

Julia added that sister Jennifer, 27, the Oscar-winning star of Dreamgirls and an American Idol alum, had flown in to be by her side as soon as she heard the tragic news. She said that upon hearing the news, Jennifer, “was screaming” and “flew in right away.”

Julian had been at his grandmother’s house on Friday and the two were, Julia said, “extremely close.”

“I worked, so he was always with her, day in and day out,” she said. “She did everything for him. She got him ready for school. She got him ready for bed.”

The Chicago FBI office confirmed to PEOPLE on Sunday that the agency is involved in the search for the boy.

“I can confirm that we have been asked to provide assistance to the Chicago police department to assist in the search for 7-year-old Julian King,” said Ross Rice, special agent and spokesman for the Chicago office of FBI.

When asked whether they had any promising leads, Ross declined to comment. “The key word there is assisting. It is still a Chicago police investigation, both the murder and the kidnapping, and any announcements would be best to come from them.”

And on Sunday morning, Jennifer Hudson updated her MySpace page with recent photos of her nephew and a statement from her family: “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.”

Source, Splash

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson is offering a $100,000 reward for the safe return of her 7-year-old nephew, who has been missing since her mother and brother were found dead in their home Friday.

A spokeswoman for Hudson confirmed the reward, the latest development in the investigation of the shooting deaths of Hudson’s relatives and abduction of her nephew, Julian King.

“Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely,” Hudson said in a posting on her MySpace page Sunday. “If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately.”

Hudson also posted two pictures of her nephew wearing the brown-and-orange striped polo shirt he was last seen in.

Earlier, Hudson viewed the bodies of her mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, the Cook County medical examiner’s office told CNN Sunday. They were found shot to death Friday in their South Side Chicago home.

Meanwhile, Chicago police are handing out fliers as part of a massive search for Hudson’s nephew.

Police issued an Amber Alert for Julian and asked people to look out for a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban with Illinois license plate X584859.

Julian is described as being 4-feet-11 and 130 pounds. He was wearing a striped brown polo shirt and khaki pants when last seen, authorities said in the Amber Alert.

Police confirm they have taken a person into custody but are not saying who.

Source

ALL THIS BELOW IS REPORTED FROM TMZ:

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Jennifer Hudson’s mother was one of two victims shot and killed in Chicago earlier today.

A neighbor tells TMZ the other victim was Jennifer’s brother Jason. A cousin who lived nearby discovered the bodies.

We’re told the two bodies were found dead on the scene at 2:44 PM. When the fire department arrived and discovered the bodies, police were brought in and the home was declared a crime scene.

A call to Hudson’s rep was not immediately returned.

UPDATE 6:40 PM ET: An all points bulletin has been issued for a boy, believed to be Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew (right), who may have been taken from the scene. Police are looking for 1994 white Suburban with the license plate X584859.

UPDATE 7:35 PM ET: Police are looking for William Balfour (left), who they claim could be with the missing 7-year-old. According to records, Balfour listed Hudson’s mother’s address as a place of residence within the last year. According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, Balfour is currently on parole after serving jail time for attempted murder.

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.

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.  Below is victim Jason, who is Jennifer’s brother.

UPDATE 11:26 PM ET: The suspect, William Balfour, has been taken into custody. Hudson’s nephew, 7-year-old Julian King is still missing, according to WFLD-Chicago. Balfour is refusing to cooperate with cops or supply info.

I need to read this book!  I have had it for a couple months, but I’m so behind on all my books, I haven’t gotten to it yet!  I keep picking up books that I want to read, and I have so many of them “to read” now, I feel like I’ll never reach the end!  I’m currently reading “Friday Night Knitting Club” (which makes me want to join a knitting club, btw) and next I’m going to read “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”.  I’m DYING to read it. I bought it several months ago, then Oprah picked it as her book – for her book club.  She had the author on the show, and now I’m even more stoked to read it.

Here is the official site for “The Secret Life of Bees”.

Anyway, back to the post at hand.  Here are the celebrities at last night’s premiere of “The Secret Life of Bees”.  Stars include Jada Pinkett Smith (Executive Producer) and Will Smith, Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson (check out the closeup on her ring!) & Nia Long.

Splash