Private Memorial For Jennifer Hudson's Family Set For Monday

Anyone looking to attend Jennifer Hudson's family private memorial service will soon find out that it will be an invitation only service. The service is set for Monday Nov. 3.

Sometimes it's just hard to believe you have people that can be so cold hearted. My Condolences goes out to the Hudson family. May the day come that the person responsible for this is brought to trial. It won't take away the pain from the Hudson family, but it will bring closure.

For the past few days more and more details are coming out. I know the police have to keep what information they do have secret so they don't blow any leads they do have. Just such a tragedy to hear what's being reported out in the news. How can someone wake up in the morning knowing he is responsible for several murders? That is just beyond me.

On Friday, an announcement will be made to address whether a public service will be held, according to the Hudson Funeral Home, which is handling the funeral and memorial arrangements.

Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were shot and killed Friday morning at their Chicago home. Julian King, the 7-year-old son of Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia, was found dead Monday morning in Jason Hudson's SUV, which was taken from the home.

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who is a friend of Jennifer Hudson's, will donate a jersey to help pay tribute to one of the victims, the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday.

"I would like to give them a personal jersey," Harris said Wednesday. "A lot of times you try to understand things but you can't fathom that, losing three loved ones within three days. It's very difficult and my prayers are with the family. It's hard but you just have to try not to lose faith in God."

On Wedneday, the Tribune reported that Chicago police believe more than one person may have been involved in the killings. William Balfour, Julia Hudson's estranged husband and the only person to be detained by police thus far in the case, remains in police custody for a parole violation, although he has not been charged in connection with the Hudson family murders.

A private memorial service will be held in Chicago on Monday for Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. The service is for invited guests only.

Jennifer Hudson identified slain mom's body

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson identified the the bodies of her mother and brother, who were killed last week in Chicago, the Cook County medical examiner's office told CNN on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Chicago police are handing out fliers as part of a massive search for the nephew of the actress.

Julian Hudson, 7, has not been seen since Friday, the same day Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found shot to death in their South Side Chicago home.

The sister of the actress made an emotional appeal Saturday for the safe return of her son.

"My greatest fear has already happened, my greatest hope is for having my child. I just want my son," Julia Balfour said. "That's all I have to say. Just let my baby go."

Police have Julia Balfour's husband, William Balfour, in custody. Chicago news station WLS reported Saturday that the boy was not with Balfour when he was detained.

Balfour's mother, Michele Davis-Balfour insisted Saturday that her son had nothing to do with the shootings and urged the public to focus on finding the missing boy.

"Out of no means did my son do this. This heinous crime to this family is unbelievable. It's unbearable," Davis-Balfour told WLS.

"Whoever has Jennifer Hudson's nephew or Julia Balfour's son, please, I'm begging you, me and my family are begging you to return that son."

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.

Chicago police spokesman Daniel O'Brien would not comment Saturday on whether a William Balfour was in custody or whether police had questioned a man by that name.

"Police have and continue to speak with numerous" people, O'Brien said. He said no charges had been filed against anyone in connection with the murders. Watch the police news conference »

William Balfour says on his MySpace page that he is married to Jennifer Hudson's sister Julia and has a stepson.

"I might as well let you all know that Jennifer Hudson is my wife's sister I'm proud of her and wish her nothing but the best in what she do," he wrote.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Balfour, 27, is on parole. He spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.

His MySpace page also says he lives on Chicago's South Side.

Deputy Police Chief Joseph Patterson said the bodies were found about 3 p.m. Friday (4 p.m. ET), when a relative arrived and found the body of a woman on the living room floor. The relative backed out of the house and called police, Patterson said. Authorities found a man shot to death in a bedroom.

The Cook County medical examiner's office said Saturday that Donerson and Jason Hudson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and ruled the deaths homicides.

The FBI is working with Chicago police to find Julian, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis said.

The FBI was brought in as a precaution because it would be possible to cross state lines in the amount of time the boy has been missing, which would make any abduction a federal crime, he said.

Neighbors reported hearing gunshots earlier Friday, Patterson said. Authorities found no signs of forced entry to the home and were not sure whether other items were missing.

"You've got two people who were killed inside a home. That alone will produce a great deal of evidence," Weis said of forensic evidence at the crime scene.

Hudson won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Effie in the film version of the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls." She competed on the third season of "American Idol" in 2004, making it to the top seven contestants before being eliminated from the contest.

Jennifer Hudson's nephew missing after slayings

Authorities investigating the shooting deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were searching for the missing 7-year-old nephew of the Oscar-winning actress.

A suspect in the deaths was in custody Friday night, but young Julian King had not been seen since the bodies of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were found Friday afternoon.

A family member entering Donerson's South Side home Friday afternoon found the woman shot on the living room floor. Responding officers later found Hanson shot in the bedroom, police said.

At least one of the victims suffered defensive wounds, said authorities who described the shooting as domestic violence.

William Balfour, a man suspected in the deaths, was arrested Friday but had not been charged, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said investigators were talking to "a number of people in custody" but she declined to elaborate. An Amber Alert issued Friday said Balfour was a suspect in the double homicide.

Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle. Public records show one of Balfour's addresses as the home where Donerson and Jason Hudson were shot.

The Cook County medical examiner's office said autopsies for Donerson and Jason Hudson were pending.

Balfour's mother, Michelle, said her son had been married to Hudson's sister, Julia, for several years, but they were separated. She also said Donerson had ordered him to move out of the family's home last winter.

Jennifer Hudson's personal publicist, Lisa Kasteler, said the family wanted privacy.

The tragedy comes as Hudson, who grew up in Chicago, continues to reach new heights in her career. Her song "Spotlight" is No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts and her recently released, self-tiled debut album has been a top seller. She was featured in this year's blockbuster "Sex and the City" movie and is also starring in the hit film "The Secret Life of Bees."

She won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls." In an interview last year with Vogue, Hudson credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for "American Idol," which launched her career.

The singer, whose father died when she was a teenager, described herself as very close to her family. In a recent AP interview she said her family, which includes older siblings Julia and Jason, helped keep her grounded.

"My faith in God and my family, they're very realistic and very normal, they're not into the whole limelight kind of thing, so when I go home to Chicago that's just another place that's home," she said. "I stand in line with everybody else, or, when I go home to my mom I'm just Jennifer, (so she says), 'You get up and you take care of your own stuff.' And I love that; I don't like when people tell you everything you want to hear, I want to hear the truth, you know what I mean."

Hudson recently announced her engagement to David Otunga, best known for his stint on VH1's reality show "I Love New York."

Hudson's representatives would not disclose her whereabouts Friday. She had been scheduled to appear Monday in Los Angeles to collect an ensemble cast honor at the Hollywood Awards for "The Secret Life of Bees" with co-stars including Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning.