The FBI have been called in to hunt for the seven-year-old nephew of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson, a day after her mother and brother were found with multiple gunshot wounds at her Chicago home.Hudson was said to be ‘numb’ last night after identifying their bodies at the mortuary.
Devastation: Jennifer and her mother Darnell, pictured at the 2007 Oscars, who has been shot dead at her Chicago home
Hudson's estranged brother-in-law William Balfour is currently being questioned by police as a suspect, but he has not been charged.
He was at first thought to have kidnapped his stepson Julian King, but the seven-year-old was not with him when he was found. Hudson is extremely close to Julian, who has the family nickname of Tugga Bear.
Detectives said the double murder was a 'domestic incident' that had got horribly out of control.
Tragic: Hudson's brother Jason (left) was found dead in his bedroom, while her nephew Julian King (right) is missing.
William Balfour is being questioned by police but has not been charged.
Neighbours reported hearing gunshots at 9am on Friday but ignored them because violent crime is so common in the area – which the singer had tried to persuade her mother to leave.
Deputy Chief Joseph Patterson said Hudson's cousin entered the home around 3pm and after finding Darnell on the living room floor left to fetch help.
Officers then found Hudson's mechanic brother Jason, 29, dead in the bedroom, Patterson said. There was no sign of forced entry.
Missing: A picture from Hudson's MySpace page shows her cuddling her nephew Julian and her pet dog Mr Payton
Darnell, 57, was shot in the head while Jason was shot in the chest. At least one of the victims had 'defensive wounds' police said, indicating that the shooting may have been a domestic incident.
Hudson's sister, school bus driver Julia, reported her son as missing after work on Friday.
Balfour married Julia in 2006, but his mother Michele Davis Balfour told the Chicago Sun-Times they have been experiencing problems in the last few weeks and were separated.
Close-knit: Hudson with her mother Darnell (C) and sister Julia (R), whose son Julian is missing
'I didn't raise no murderer,' Michele Balfour insisted. 'He was not a child abductor. They have the wrong person.'
Police confirmed they were speaking to 'a number of suspects' besides Balfour.
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.
Neighbours pray at a makeshift shrine outside the house where Hudson's family were slain
Detectives believe the killing might be the result of a row over Julia’s car, it was reported yesterday.
Balfour was accused of stealing the vehicle from her – and his estranged wife told neighbours he threatened to kill the family in the ensuing row.
In a post on her MySpace page, Julia said Jason was picking her up from her job because ‘William bitch’ had sold it.
Balfour’s own MySpace pages boasts of his connection with Jennifer. He says: ‘I might as well let you know that Jennifer Hudson is my wife’s sister ...but don’t hit me up ’bout that.’
Crime scene: Police are continuing to investigate the Hudson family home for clues
Hudson, whose father Samuel Simpson died when she was a teenager, has described herself as very close to her family.
In a recent interview she said her family, which included older siblings Julia and Jason, helped keep her grounded.
She said: '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.
'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 shot to fame as a contestant on American Idol in 2004.
Last year, she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her critically-acclaimed performance as Effie White in Dreamgirls, co-starring Beyonce Knowles and Eddie Murphy.
Following her performance as Carrie Bradshaw's assistant Louise in the Sex And The City Movie earlier this year, Hudson released her debut solo album three weeks ago.
Her single Spotlight is currently No.12 in the UK singles charts.
Last month, Hudson announced her engagement to boyfriend David Otunga.
Screen star: Hudson (R) won an Oscar for her performance in Dreamgirls alongside Beyonce Knowles (C) and Anika Noni Rose (L)
City girl: Hudson as Louise and Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex And The City movie
