William Balfour Trial
The Jennifer Hudson Family Murders
(Jennifer Hudson and her mother Darnell Donerson-left) Jennifer Hudson won an Academy Award in 2007 for her supporting role in “Dreamgirls.” In an interview last year with Vogue, she credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for “American Idol,” starting her career.
Then, on October 24, 2008 a terrible, violent, tragedy stuck. Jennifer's mother, 57-year-old Darnell Hudson Donerson and her brother, 29-year-old Jason S. Hudson were found dead from gunshot woulds and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, was missing.
(Julian King-left) A few days later Julian King's body was found shot to death in the back of a white 1994 Chevrolet Suburban belonging to Ms. Hudson’s brother that had been missing since Friday. Jennifer was the one who identified the body.
William Balfour was Julian's stepfather and became a "person of interest" in the case. Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, has convictions for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to the Corrections Department. He was released from prison in May 2006 after more than six years in detention and was on probation at the time.
Balfour was one of two children born to a mother who worked two jobs to support her family and a father who was serving a 30-year prison sentence for murder.
Julia Hudson and William Balfour had married on December 30, 2006. The Hudson family accepted Balfour into their family, but were concerned about his past criminal history.
He and Julia Hudson had a contentious relationship, marked by fights over money and infidelities according to family members and neighbors,which led to Balfour being thrown out of the house.
Just weeks before the horrific murders, Balfour had entered Julia's place of work and accused her of dating other men. Balfour threatened her and the entire family if she continued to date others.
On the morning of the murders, Balfour stopped at the Hudson family home and again warned Julia about having a relationship with other men.
According to court records, Balfour was stopped by officers after he got out of a vehicle that had turned a corner at high speed in an area where police were investigating calls of shots fired. Police found drugs in the car Balfour was driving.
Balfour was being held at the Illinois state prison for suspicion of a parole violation when he was arrested on December 1, 2008, for the murders of the three shooting victims and also charged with one count of home invasion. Balfour is being held without bail.
Prosecutors detailed, for the first time, their circumstantial evidence against William Balfour, portraying the slayings of three of actress Jennifer Hudson's family members as the work of a jealous husband.
Prosecutors, also, revealed that gunshot residue was found on his car's steering wheel and alleged he lied about his movements on the morning of the killings.
Witnesses told police they saw Balfour driving a white Suburban on the day of the slayings, which is the color and make of the vehicle that 7-year-old Julian King's body was found in.
Balfour's cell phone records indicate he was near the Hudson home until shortly after 9 a.m. Authorities believe the killings had occurred by then.
Prosecutors alleged Balfour told a girlfriend the day of the slayings that he killed Donerson and Jason Hudson and later lied to police about his travel that day.
Balfour told police that after seeing his wife that morning, he returned home on the "L" by using his CTA fare card. But, police learned he had last used the card two days before the killings, and security video from the train station showed he had not exited there that day.
Balfour allegedly told police he didn't own a gun, but witnesses said they saw him with a gun or heard him admit he had one. Prosecutors said the weapon, a .45-caliber handgun recovered near the Suburban, had been stolen from Jason Hudson by Balfour late last summer.
A grand jury indictment was issued on December 30, 2008 against Balfour.
We will be following this case!
Research resources...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/us/25hudson.html
http://www.examiner.com/x-1168-Dallas-Crime-Examiner~y2009m1d7-Number-5-noteworthy-crime-and-punishment-story-2008-American-Idol-tragedy
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/us/28hudson.html?_r=1
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20236227,00.html
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/family-disputes-eyed-as-motive-in-hudson-killings.html
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20236227,00.html
www.lakewyliepilot.com
UPDATES
To comment on this story click here!
01/22/09
Hudson Brother-In-law Pleads NOT guilty
The man accused of shooting three members of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson's family has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, on Tuesday.
William Balfour, 27, also denied home invasion charges relating to the deaths of Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
When Mr Balfour was indicted by a grand jury in December, his lawyer insisted the police had no case against his client.
Read resource details...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7842068.stm
http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2009/01/21/entertainment/living_it/livingit00000000000001.txt