Jennifer Hudson Honors Mother on 75th Birthday
The singer shared a tribute photo marking what would have been her late mother Darnell Donerson's 75th birthday, years after Donerson was murdered in 2008.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Celebrities
Jennifer Hudson posted a photo of herself beside a portrait of her mother, Darnell Donerson, on what would have been Donerson's 75th birthday. Fans commented on the resemblance between the two.
Why it matters
The post revisits the 2008 murders of Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King, crimes for which William Balfour was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison. It offers a personal look at how the case continues to shape the Hudson family's public life.
Donerson was 57 when she was killed in 2008, and she would have turned 75 on November 7, 2026. Balfour was convicted in 2012 of all three murders and sentenced to life in prison.
The players
Jennifer Hudson
An EGOT-winning singer and actress who rose to fame on American Idol in 2004 and later testified as a witness in the trial of her family members' killer.
William Balfour
The estranged husband of Julia Hudson who was convicted in 2012 of murdering Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King and sentenced to life in prison.
The details
Donerson and Jason Hudson were found shot to death inside Donerson's home in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. A three-day manhunt followed for Julian King, who was found dead inside an abandoned vehicle; Jennifer Hudson testified as a witness at Balfour's trial.
Timeline
2008: Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King are murdered.
2012: Balfour is convicted of all three murders.
November 7, 2026: Jennifer Hudson posts a tribute on what would have been her mother's 75th birthday.
Legal Context
The murders of Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood ended with Balfour's 2012 conviction on all three counts and a life sentence. Jennifer Hudson's appearance as a trial witness places her family's loss within that prosecution.
The post is a public reminder of the 2008 Englewood killings and the trial that followed, which may matter to readers following Chicago criminal cases. It also shows how survivors of violent crime can continue to mark loss publicly years afterward.
The takeaway
Marking anniversaries and birthdays of loved ones lost to violence is a personal way families keep memories alive long after a case is closed. Public tributes can also keep attention on the people behind criminal cases.
Further reading
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