One of Jennifer Hudson’s close friends has told Us Weekly that William “Flex” Balfour, the man believed to have killed Hudson’s mother Darnell, brother Jason, and nephew, Julian, had made threats against the family before. He’d also gotten in several physical altercations with Jason and with Jennifer’s ex-fiancé. Her sister had accused Balfour of selling one of their cars without their permission. According to the source, the Hudson family didn’t take Balfour’s threats seriously enough.
Balfour, 27 – who is divorced from Hudson’s sister, Julia, a bus driver – got into a huge fight with Julia, Darnell and Jason about a month ago, a neighbor says in the newest issue of Us Weekly. James Peyton, Hudson’s ex-fiance, was also present. “Flex tried to start a fistfight with Jason, and James beat up Flex,” the neighbor adds. Shortly after, Flex began to threaten the family, saying “he would kill Julia and mess up everyone in the house,” the source tells Us.
The supposed reason of the feud? TMZ.com reports Balfour clashed with the family after Julia claimed he sold one of their cars without permission. “Flex was crazy, but Jason never took him seriously,” the source tells Us. “Jason always thought he would be safe, that he could protect himself.” The estranged couple had screaming matches, and had “been having problems, but I never expected anything like this,” neighbor Angela Russell admits to Us.
(Flex’s mother, Michele Davis Balfour, insists her son “had nothing to do with this.”)
[From Us Weekly]
Balfour is being held on a probation violation but hasn’t been charged with the murders or even officially called a suspect. In June police arrested him with a rock of crack cocaine, but his probation wasn’t revoked. Good to know that whole probation thing is just an idle threat.
Yesterday we reported that Jennifer Hudson had gone into hiding due to safety concerns. I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now. The heartache she must be dealing with is incredible, and to have to worry for her own safety on top of it all must be an enormous burden. Hopefully police will actually arrest and charge the guilty party soon, and whatever safety fears Jennifer has will be resolved.
This is a very sad story. I was just wondering why her mom was living in such a place ? If I had her money there is no way I would let my mom live like that.
Well that was everyone’s first mistake, especially when a child is involved, not taking threats seriously. My cousin married a total low life crumb years ago. Soon into their marriage she would show up bruised to family functions. Finally my mom asked her what was going on, she said nothing in the beginning, but over time, she would say he would push her around, make threats against her etc. My mom told her to get out before something tragic happened. My cousins response was “He just makes threats, but he wouldn’t do anything to me really” She stayed married to the low life for a few years and in spite of how how he treated her, she wouldn’t leave. She came on a family vacation without him and he threatened to leave her if she did. She cut the trip short, only to find him in bed with another woman when she got home. He beat my cousin, threw her out, and only then did she finally divorce him. He remarried 6mo. later, his new wife would call my cousin saying how he was threatening to kill her and she was too scared to leave, my cousin told her “Oh, he says stuff, but he never really would go through with the threats. 1yr. later my cousin was visited by two police detectives regarding her ex husband. They were interviewing her because they needed her to be a witness for the prosecution against her ex, who was soon to be tried for the murder of his 2nd wife. He shot her at point blank range in the face, a threat he had made on many occassion to my cousin and to the poor woman he married after her. My idiot cousin was lucky she escaped with her life, but eventually what he threatened often, he finally made good on. The point- no matter how unlikely it may seem, one can never look at a threat and think that the person really isn’t capable of executing it. Ignoring threats often leads to tragic events taking place.
devilgirl: What a terrible story! I’m glad your cousin got away with her life, and I hope that ex of hers fries for what he did. And your point about taking threats of this nature seriously is a very important one.
Yes it sure is. A codependent friend of mine endured her husband’s cruelty for over ten years. She knew it was wrong, but would not go see a shrink to get straightened out. He’d threatened to “rid her of” himself many, many times. Everybody was so tired of hearing the threat and told her to just get out before he shot her. After way too long, she finally asked for a divorce and the next day, he shot himself in the face, making her watch. Now the dumbass still won’t go see a doctor about her extremely bad mental state. Stupid stupid stupid.
My point is, just get out, NOW. Don’t stick around for the inevitable. STUPID KILLS!
bknok I think it was Jennifer’s mother who wanted to live where she did. I have a hard time believing that Jennifer would have not tried to get her to move into a safer neighborhood. Not all families get high and mighty once there’s a celeb in the family. Some stay true to their roots. But, her mother moving into an upscale neighborhood wouldn’t have guaranteed that this would not have happened. It was someone connected with the family, not a random stranger.
You’re right – the crime was not related to the neighborhood but I don’t think it’s “high and mighty” to get out of the “ghetto” when the means finally present itself.
And she didn’t have to move to an “upscale” neighborhood, just out of that neighborhood where hearing gunfire is like the sun rising or setting.
I do agree, though, that it was probably Jen’s Mom that didn’t want to move. It was probably close to church and her established life and friends. Don’t blame her.
Yeah, Jennifer’s mom apparently wanted to stay in the community – I’ve heard Jennifer say in many clips how her family kept her grounded. Indeed, leaving the neighbourhood wouldn’t have helped – the people that her sister and brother associated with weren’t the greatest although this Balfour character takes the cake. I still have the sneaking feeling that this story isn’t over yet – why haven’t they charged him if it’s so cut and dry? Hmmm.
Its just so sad that people have such poor self esteem that they don’t value themselves enough to not let anyone do that to them.
Hindsight is always 20/20. A harmless crank yesterday might be the guy who breaks into your house today. You can never tell sometimes the truly disturbed and violent from the ones you can talk down and straighten out.
Well said Dante.
I have a question for everyone else though… or maybe it’s just a comment.. I’ve noticed that every time someone comments on the circumstances leading up to this tragedy, other posters tend to jump up and down (various forms of ‘rage’) like the original poster was being a jerk – which I don’t understand. I asked the same thing a few days ago and it was CLEAR that people didn’t bother to read my post thoroughly. I didn’t say the victim’s were to blame, but I DID wonder how one can allow this type of filth to become a permanent fixture in her life. The way other poster’s reacted was just a little over the top, so I was curious about their thought process.
🙁 From what I heard on the Today Show, Jennifer had asked her mother to move out of Chicago and she refused to move from her hometown. No one can predict such a horrific situation.
@RAN
I think it has to do with their own insecurities or emotions over the situation. People like to react to things in the extreme without reasonably summing up the intent.
Jennifer’s acting coach gave People an interview this week, saying that Jennifer’s mother usually came to the set of Dreamgirls, and was very humble and happy for her daughter. She didn’t need a new house or car, just for Jennifer to be successful and happy. From everything that has been said, Jennifer wanted her to move, but she resisted, probably for many reasons. It is all so tragic and senseless, and just shows how depraved people are capable of being.
devilgirl, that is a sad story, and I am happy your relative was eventually strong enough to leave, but unfortunately his 2nd wife wasn’t so lucky. In Long Island NY just this past week, a teacher was reported missing on her way to work, and the husband was on TV crying his eyes out, and asking the public to help with finding her. By last night he was in custody and charged with murdering his wife after her body was found at the side of the road. Now a friend is saying that the wife had been complaining about problems in the marriage. Some men only seem to know of one way of settling problems, and their anger is almost always directed at someone else.
Well, I would bet that J-Hud doesn’t have a lot of money. Think TLC and the fact she was paid very little to star in Dream Girls. Plus, she hasn’t starred in much else.
Her mother owned that house outright and I think she probably wanted Jennifer to save her money. Undoubtedly the woman had lived in that neighbor for years, so why should she move.
For all appearances, it looks as though the son, the ex-son-in-law, and the child’s ex-con father were to blame for all this. It’s a sad shame, but it shows how horrible and pervasive drugs and crime can be.
My prayers to the J-Hud…Keep your head up!
Hi guys
I was luckier than most — I didn’t marry the b&stard and got out while I still had some self-esteem left.
Although I didn’t have a lot to start with (self-esteem wise, I mean), it is truly scary when I think back now and realise how he systematically broke down all my self-confidence.
It’s difficult to leave if he tells you no-one else will ever love you…and you believe him!
And to reply to RAN: I think this is such an emotional issue — people everywhere know someone who has fallen for a loser. And oftentimes it’s the clever ones who get fooled: as kind of a nerd (not sure how intelligent I really am), I was definitely looking for someone to love me! I realise that now… So, RAN, that’s why peeps kill the messenger. This hits close to home for many.
Lee
As it appears that the murderer was known to them and invited at one stage into the home, moving might not have made a huge difference. I suppose we’ll know what happens if and when the case comes to trial.
Just on the personal stories here, I’m glad to hear that you got out and have regained your self-esteem Modesty. 😀
I’m also glad for your family’s sake, if nothing else, Devilgirl that your cousin got out of that relationship. But what gets on my wick is that it took for him to cheat on her for her to leave.
I just don’t understand the mentality that will forgive being used as a punchbag and laugh it off when it happens to someone else, but not tolerate having her man “stolen” from her. I know self-esteem is a huge issue, as is co-dependency, but still…
I see it in all the homewrecker threads that adultery is the worst thing in the world – and while it’s devastating, it just doesn’t compare to domestic violence and murder.
It is quite useful.Thanks very much for sharing.