Tragedy For Jennifer Hudson

The mother and brother of Oscar winner, American Idol finalist, and gay icon Jennifer Hudson were found murdered in their Chicago home yesterday.

The mother and brother of Jennifer Hudson were found shot dead Friday at a South Side home, and police were looking for a missing child who is the nephew of the singer and Oscar-winning actress. A man suspected in the deaths was in custody Friday night, but the 7-year-old boy had not been located, according to published reports.

William Balfour was being questioned, but Julian King's whereabouts were not known, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Balfour has not been charged. 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 of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, whose bodies were found Friday afternoon in a South Side home.

Jennifer Hudson's personal publicist, Lisa Kasteler, confirmed the deaths. "We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson," Kasteler said in a statement. "No further comment will be made and the family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time."

Such a sad and horrible turn of events for Hudson, who has become a beloved icon and friend of the gay community. She has performed for massive and adoring crowds at gay pride events around the nation, perhaps most notably at this year's NYC Pier Dance, where she gleefully shared the mic with the audience on her show-stopping rendition of And I'm Telling You. Adding to the cruelty, Hudson should be celebrating her first #1 single, Spotlight, which tops the R&B chart this week.