Obviously,the 2008 holiday season for the surviving members of the Hudson family will not exactly be a joyfulone. On October 24, Jennifer Hudson's mother (pictured here), brother, and nephew were brutallymurdered in Chicago...thus ensuring that there would be little cause for celebration between Halloween andNew Year's Eve this year.
But perhaps today's news will give the Idol and hergrieving relatives a little bit of much-needed peace this season.
Today WilliamBalfour--Jennifer's brother-in-law and the prime suspect in this tragictriple-homicide, who refused to take a lie-detector test when the policeinvestigation began weeks ago--was officially arrested. According Chicago policespokeswoman Monique Bond, he will be formally charged with the killings of DarnellDonerson (Jennifer's mom), Jason Hudson (her brother), and Julian King (hernephew).
Balfour, age 27, is the estranged husband of Jennifer's sister, Julia, andthe stepfather of 7-year-old murder victim Julian (Julia's son). He has a previousconviction on his record for attempted murder, and served seven years in jail forthat offense. He was already back in Chicago's Stateville Correctional Center,awaiting a December 3 parole-violation hearing, when the arrest was made today.
Whileeveryone is innocent until proven guilty, of course, I do hope the police have the right man here. I would definitely likeJennifer and her family to have justice--and some peace--in the new year.