Arrest made in Jennifer Hudson family murders

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-02 09:04

CHICAGO – The estranged brother-in-law of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson was arrested and will be charged with the October slayings of three of her relatives, police said on Monday.

This undated photograph, released by the Illinois Department of Corrections October 25, 2008, shows William Balfour. [Agencies]

"We have obtained an arrest warrant for William Balfour. He was released to Chicago detectives," Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Monique Bond said, adding that Balfour would be charged with three counts of murder.

Balfour, 27, who had been married to Hudson's sister Julia, was questioned after the slayings but not charged. He was imprisoned for violating his parole on a previous attempted murder conviction, and was scheduled to have a hearing on Wednesday.

Bond would not give details about what evidence led police to charge Balfour for the shooting deaths of Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, brother, Jason Hudson, 29, and 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.

Donerson and Jason Hudson were found shot to death on October 24 in Donerson's South Side home. Four days later, King's body was found in a stolen sport utility vehicle parked on the city's West Side. A handgun used in the slayings was found nearby.

The Chicago Tribune reported investigators had evidence that Balfour had a gun matching the weapon.

After the slayings, Jennifer Hudson returned to Chicago and identified King's body at the morgue.

Hudson got her start in 2005 competing on the U.S. television show "American Idol" although she failed to reach the final.

She later won the role of Effie White in the 2006 film version of the stage musical "Dreamgirls" and earned a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance.

Hudson has since appeared in the movie version of "Sex and the City" and "The Secret Life of Bees."