Julian Darnell "JuiceBox" King, a 7-year-old African American boy, was tragically murdered on October 24, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois. Julian was the nephew of singer and actress Jennifer Hudson. He was a second grader who was known for his round cheeks, good nature, and enthusiasm for Blue, the dog from Blue's Clues. Julian enjoyed reading, hanging out with his grandmother, and playing outside.
On the day of the murders, Julian's grandmother, Darnell Donerson, and his uncle, Jason Hudson, were found shot to death inside Donerson's home in Chicago. Julian was initially reported missing, and an AMBER Alert was issued. His body was discovered three days later in a parked car on Chicago's West Side. Autopsy results indicated that Julian's death was due to multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation led to the arrest of William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julian's mother, Julia Hudson. Balfour was taken into custody on the day the bodies of Donerson and Jason Hudson were discovered. He was on parole at the time and had previously spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking, and possession of a stolen vehicle. Balfour was held by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a parole violation while the investigation continued.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Balfour's current or former girlfriend had seen him with a gun identical to the murder weapon several days before the murders occurred. Balfour was eventually charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King, as well as one count of felony home invasion. Prosecutors alleged that Balfour committed the murders out of anger that his estranged wife was dating another man.
The trial of William Balfour focused on the youngest victim, Julian King. Prosecutors presented evidence that Balfour had abducted Julian and shot him in the head behind the front seat of an SUV. Surveillance video showed Balfour near the Hudson house on the day of the murders, and photographs of the bloodied bodies of Hudson's mother and brother were shown to the jury. Jennifer Hudson testified during the trial, expressing her dismay at her sister's decision to marry Balfour. If convicted of at least two of the murder counts, Balfour would face a mandatory life sentence.
