NEWS: THE BODY OF HUDSON’S NEPHEW FOUND

Monday, October 27, 2008

FBI officials confirmed this afternoon in a press conference that a body found this morning on Chicago’s West Side is that of 7-year old Julian King, actress/singer Jennifer Hudson’s nephew.

Jennifer helped positively identify the body of her young nephew today, hours after he was found with gunshot wounds in a sport-utility vehicle on Chicago’s West Side, authorities said.

An autopsy was scheduled to be done on the body of Julian on Tuesday at the Cook County medical examiner’s office, where Hudson and other relatives went to help identify the remains this afternoon.

A law enforcement source told the Tribune that the boy had been shot multiple times in the back of the white Chevrolet Suburban. The vehicle had been the subject of an intense search and Amber Alert issued on Friday after Hudson’s mother and brother were found shot and killed inside the family’s South Side home.

Chicago police brought Julian’s body to the medical examiner’s office shortly after noon today and Hudson and other family members arrived about three hours later, said office spokesman Sean Howard.

Over the weekend, Hudson offered $100,000 for the safe return of her nephew via her myspace.

The police continue to hold William Balfour - Julia’s estranged husband - in custody as a person of interest. Balfour has denied involvement in the killings or the disappearance of the boy, law-enforcement sources said. They are currently reviewing surveillance tapes in the neighborhood where the SUV was found in search of more clues.

To continue reading updates on this case, visit thechicagotribune.

We here at Concrete Loop continue to fully extend our condolences to Jennifer Hudson and her family at this tragic and horrific time.