The estranged brother-in-law of Jennifer Hudson’s was arrested yesterday in relation to the October 24th murders of Hudson’s mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.

Initially labeled a person of interest, Balfour, 27, was arrested at Stateville Correctional Center and released to detectives where he was formally charged.

He has been moved to the Wentworth Area, where he will be held.

The murder weapon, a 45-caliber gun, was discovered just days after the homicides in a vacant lot.

Balfour is the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister, Julia.

He is scheduled for another parole violation hearing on Wednesday.

Although she is grieving the horrific murders of her family this holiday season, Jennifer Hudson has decided to go forward with a new GAP holiday campaign.

Jennifer is featured on one of the companies many holidays ads, sporting a cheerful bright red sweater with a big smile on her face. The tagline reads, Shine Your Own Star.

Gap spokesperson Olive Doyne says the company gave the singer/actress the option of backing out.

“She said she wanted to be a part of it and that we should move forward,” Doyne says. The photo shoot took place last July in New York City, months before the murders took place.

The ad will be featured in magazines, newspapers and on billboards.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the girlfriend of the suspect in the Jennifer Hudson family killings, William Balfour, admitted to her that he did have a hand in the murders.

The girlfriend, who is currently pregnant, told police that Balfour confessed his involvement in the slayings of Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson and brother, Jason Hudson, but not the 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.

Balfour, 27, was apprehended at the girlfriend’s apartment the night Darnell and Jason’s bodies were found shot to death.

Julian’s body was discovered a few days later in an SUV.

UPDATE:

Balfour will remained jailed as the investigation continues but still has not been charged with anything. [AFP]

[ET]

The only suspect in the brutal killings of the family of Jennifer Hudson might walk out of jail Monday morning.

William Balfour, ex-husband of Hudson’s sister, Julia, might not be charged with the murders of Darnell Donerson, 57, Jason Hudson, 29, and Julian King, 7. All were shot to death on October 24th.

He is being held in jail for parole violation only,

The problem is, if law enforcement cannot prove he has violated his parole they can no longer hold him. UNLESS, he is either found to be in violation of his parole or he is officially charged with the murders. If one of these things does not happen by Monday he will be back walking the streets of Chicago.

Balfour is scheduled to meet with the Illinois State Parole Review Board at 9:00 a.m. Monday.

Hmm..this could be interesting. If he gets out do you think Julia will go running back to him? After what she posted on her MySpace earlier, we know this girl is not playing with a full deck..

[TMZ]

How creepy is this…TMZ visited Julia Hudson’s MySpace page and reported something that I think is a little chilling.

Under one of the photos, she wrote the caption,

“NOW THAT JASON’S GONE I’M THE PRETTIEST ONE”

Zoiks!

Ok, so did a chill just go up your back? It did mine! It sounds like something out of a horror movie, not something a sister would say after half her family had been murdered! WTF!

Is she not all there…or is she seriously that vain? Is she loving the attention she is getting now? Does she liked being talked about? I know people all handle tragedy and death differently, but this is not a normal reaction.

[TMZ]

The funeral for the slain members of Jennifer Hudson’s family was held yesterday, where 2,500 mourners showed up to show their respect at the open coffin service.

Understandably, no media were allowed during the service and only invited guests attended.

Before the service began, Hudson left her second row seat to pay her respects to her murdered family members. She first stopped by 7-year-old Julian’s white coffin, who was dressed in all white. She then moved to her mother and gently touched her then lightly kissed her before moving on to her brother, where she paused before returning to her seat.

Hudson’s fiance and reality star, David “Punk” Otunga, and sister Julia sat with Hudson where they supported one another.

Halfway through the service, Fantasia Barrino, Hudson’s American Idol competition, performed an emotional “Your Grace and Mercy,” while holding Jennifer’s hand and singing directly to her.

Family friend Glover Lewis told the Chicago Tribune, “Jennifer is the pillar. It’s obvious she’s holding the family together.”

Although both he and his mother claim he had no part in the brutal slayings of Jennifer Hudson’s family last week, William ‘Flex’ Balfour will not take a lie detector test.

According to the AP, an anonymous police official says that Balfour was cooperating with police up until he was asked to take a polygraph test.

Balfour still has not been charged with the killings of Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, brother, Jason Hudson, 29, and nephew, Julian King, 7, who were all shot to death.

Yesterday a gun was found in some bushes in a vacant lot near where the white SUV was discovered. Police believe it may be the gun used in the murders.

The anonymous official told the AP that police do not believe anyone else was involved in the killings, despite reports stating otherwise.

The source added that someone else may have driven and dropped off the SUV, but that Balfour is “the only suspect in the killings (and there is) nothing to link a second individual” to the crime.

A police spokeswoman declined to comment on the official’s statements.

Balfour is a felon with a prior record of attempted murder, and was busted with cocaine last June.