Jennifer Hudson family murdered

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Jennifer Hudson is said to be 'devastated' after her mother and brother were shot dead in their home, and her nephew was found to be missing.

The Oscar-winning Dreamgirls actress has offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of seven-year-old Julian King, who's been missing since his grandmother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and uncle, Jason Hudson, 29, were found shot dead in their home on Friday afternoon.

The FBI has been brought in to help try and find the boy, whose mother, Jennifer's sister Julia Hudson, has made a public plea to whomever has him to 'let my baby go'.

Julia's ex-husband and stepfather of Julian, William Balfour, has been named as a suspect in the double murder, which police have described as a 'domestic related' tragedy.

The police say that William – who was released on parole two years ago after spending seven years in prison for attempted murder – is a 'person of interest' in the case but has not been charged.

The search for Julian has so far focused 'in the immediate vicinity' of the family's home in the South Side of the city, said Chicago police spokesman Dan O'Brien.    

But the FBI has been called in as police believe the boy may have been taken out of the state. They initially suspected the schoolboy had been abducted by his stepfather, but Balfour was alone when he was caught several hours after the bodies were discovered.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama, who lives just a few miles away from the Hudson home and who personally chose Jennifer to sing at the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention in August, has offered his support. He said:

'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.

'We also pray for the swift and safe return of her young nephew.'

In a MySpace blog entry left on Sunday, Jennifer thanked fans for their continued support, saying: '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 ... Once again thank you all for being there for us through this tough time.'

Neighbours said they heard gunshots at 9am on Friday morning, but the bodies weren't discovered by Julia Hudson until about 3pm. She found her mother's body on the living room floor with a bullet in the head.

Police then discovered Jason Hudson dead in a bedroom. He had been shot in the chest and appeared to have put up a fight.

The search for Julian continues.

Monday 27 October 2008

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