Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The family of Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is hoping a $100,000 reward will help them find her missing 7-year-old nephew, who vanished after two family members were found slain late last week.

As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, Julian King disappeared after Hudson's brother, Jason Hudson, 29, and their mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57, were found shot to death in their Englewood neighborhood home Friday.

The Hudson family issued a statement about the reward through the singer's publicist, asking that if anyone had any information to share it with the Chicago Police.

Police believe Julian's uncle's missing 1994 Chevrolet Suburban might lead them to him. The sport-utility vehicle has Illinois license plate X584859.

On Sunday, officers ramped up the search for Julian around Englewood, where Jennifer Hudson grew up before finding fame on "American Idol" and the movie "Dreamgirls."

"Detectives are working 24 hours on this case," said police News Affairs Director Monique Bond. "There's a lot of forensic evidence. We have to work the evidence and try and solve this case. Most importantly, we want to find the child."

Police also transferred custody of William Balfour, the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia, to state prison officials after interviewing him.

Bond said Balfour, who had been in police custody since Friday, was transferred Sunday to the Illinois Department of Corrections "based on his active parole violation unrelated to this investigation."

The Amber Alert for Julian listed Balfour as a suspect in a "double homicide investigation." He has not been charged with anything, but he is being held at the Cook County Jail, police said.

Records from the Corrections Department show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.

Corrections spokeswoman Januari Smith said Balfour would probably remain in state custody until the Illinois Prisoner Review Board looked at his case. She would not say where Balfour was being held.

It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney Sunday, but his mother, Michele Balfour, has denied he was involved the killings or in Julian's disappearance.

Bond said no weapon had been found at the Hudson home, a three-story house sandwiched by vacant lots littered with trash. Investigators on Sunday moved in and out of the home and examined the trash.

Meanwhile on Sunday, family, friends and other mourners gathered outside the Hudson home. They dressed in their Sunday best as they clutched teddy bears and Mylar balloons.

Family members say they are living a nightmare.

"What's done is done. Just please bring him back safely," said Julian's uncle, Darrell Thornton. "I can't ask for too much more. I just want him back, so all this can be over with, so we can all sleep at night."

Neighbor Angela Russell said originally, she thought the murders were a random act of violence. But she said she now believes the Hudson family was targeted.

"I really do believe that it was something that was personal, considering how things have happened; how things panned out; the fact that Julian still hasn't been returned, I do feel like somebody really is trying to punish this family," Russell said, "and in the process Julian was all mixed up and now he's being punished by being kept away from his mom."

Russell emphasized the importance of finding Julian.

"Jennifer is planning a wedding and she won't have her mother to be there, she won't have her brother to walk her down the aisle, and I'm sure Julian is supposed to be a ring bearer," Russell said, "so we need to get Julian back so they can have some kind of completeness back to their family, as much as possible."

During a public plea Saturday for the boy's return, Julia Hudson described her son as a smart, sensitive and easygoing child. She said she last saw her son Thursday night when they went out to dinner to celebrate her 31st birthday.

Afterward, she said, she took Julian to the home she shared with her mother and brother and handed him to his grandmother, and everyone went to sleep.

On Saturday, Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement in support of the Hudson family:

"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."

At Obama's request, Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention.

Mayor Richard M. Daley also offered his condolences to Jennifer Hudson and her family Saturday, as he attended an unrelated community march with police Supt. Jody Weis.

"Our prayers go out to her," he said. "Jody Weis and the Police Department [are] working to make sure they get the offender."

On Monday morning, a police source said the search for Julian took them to a residence in the 1900 block of South Spaulding Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood late Sunday. But the search concluded about 2 a.m. Monday without finding him, the source said.

CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli, Joanie Lum, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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