Tag Archives: murder

Mom Murders Teens for Being “Mouthy”

Tragic and unbelievable. Those are the words that immediately came to my mind upon hearing about the Florida mom who admitted to murdering her 16-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son. Have you heard about this case? It’s all over the cable news networks. According to CNN, on the evening of January 27th, Julie Powers Schenecker allegedly shot and killed her two children for “talking back.” Police say the 50-year-old wife of a U.S. Army colonel admitted to them that she shot her son twice in the head with a .38 caliber pistol while she drove him to soccer practice in suburban … Continue reading →

Public Memorial Planned for Jennifer Hudson’s Family

While Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and her sister grieve the senseless deaths of their beloved family members in private, residents in their Chicago neighborhood are planning a public memorial to honor the lives of Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King. A statement just released by the actress’ rep reads: “The Hudson family welcomes anyone who wishes to attend and pay their respects to these three beloved members of the Chicago community.” The former “American Idol” contestant will not be attending the public service, nor will her sister Julia, the mother of 7-year-old Julian King, according to Hudson’s rep. However, … Continue reading →

More on the Jennifer Hudson Case

So far, no one has been charged in the killings of Jennifer Hudson‘s mother Darnell, brother Jason, and nephew Julian. The bodies of Darnell and Jason were found Friday in her house while Julian’s body was not located until Monday in the back of a white SUV. His death was ruled a homicide as he was shot multiple times. Police do have William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister Julia, in custody as a “person of interest.” Balfour is out of prison on parole, after serving 7 years for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking, and possession of a stolen car. … Continue reading →

Body Found IS Jennifer Hudson’s Nephew

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the body of the boy found in an SUV earlier today is in fact that of 7-year-old Julian King. Reports also say that Jennifer Hudson was the one who went to the Medical Examiner’s office to identify the boy’s remains less than an hour ago. The sad task of identifying her mother and brother’s bodies on Friday also fell to the Oscar winner, according to news reports. As if this tragic story couldn’t get more gut-wrenching, police are now releasing information on how the young boy died. A top FBI official told reporters that … Continue reading →

Oscar Winner’s Mother and Brother Shot to Death

Imagine being in Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s shoes today. The former “American Idol” contestant just reached a new career high–her song “Spotlight” is No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts; she is currently promoting her hit film “The Secret Life of Bees,” in which she stars with Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning; and she just got engaged. Then, late yesterday she gets word (from a member of the paparazzi no less) that her mother and brother have been brutally shot to death in her hometown of Chicago. From the highest highs to the lowest lows, in the … Continue reading →

A Pocket Full of Rye – Agatha Christie

One of Dame Agatha Christie’s most beloved detective characters is Miss Jane Marple, elderly but spry, and certainly not missing any of her marbles. With her sweet face and gentle disposition, no one would suspect that lurking under her white hair is a brain like a steel trap, able to solve mysteries in a single bound, and bring evildoers to justice just when they think they’ve gotten away with everything. “A Pocket Full of Rye” is such a mystery, in which we see Miss Marple do what she does so well. Our story begins in the offices of Mr. Rex … Continue reading →

The Ten Commandments Series: The Sixth Commandment

In Exodus, chapter twenty, verse thirteen, we read: Thou shalt not kill. This seems like a very cut and dried commandment. There’s not a lot to be questioned there. But why is it, then, that this commandment is broken countless times every day in this world of ours? People kill for many different reasons. Sometimes it’s out of fear, anger, or the need for revenge. Other times, it’s out of greed or the fear of being caught. There are those who are evil who love to kill for the sake of killing itself, for the feeling of power it gives … Continue reading →

The Poetry of Murder – Bernadette Steele

“The Poetry of Murder” by new novelist Bernadette Steele is set against the backdrop of the International House at the University of Chicago. Our main character is Geneva Anderson, an African-American poet whose Aunt Victoria is the director at the I-House. Geneva is a resident there as well, on a poetry fellowship. Upon completing some new poetry, Geneva goes to Victoria’s office to get her opinion on her work. When she steps into her aunt’s office, she is completely unprepared for what she sees – her aunt’s body covered in blood. She was close to her aunt and the shock … Continue reading →

The Arthurian Omen – G.G. Vandagriff

Anxious to move on after the sudden death of her husband, Patrick, Maren allows herself to be wooed by the handsome and charming Englishman, Ian Southcott. Now married to him for three months, she has reason to suspect that he’s an antiquities thief, but she’s not sure how to extract herself and her daughter from the situation. When her sister Rachael calls from Great Britain, asking for her help, Maren realizes this could be her way out. Leaving her daughter with relatives, Maren goes to her sister’s aid, thinking this could be the start of her separation from Ian. Rachael … Continue reading →

New Discoveries in the Manson Case?

For years, I have been fascinated with the case of the Manson family. Charles Manson and members of his hippie “family” murdered of actress Sharon Tate (at the time, married to director Roman Polanski and eight and a half months pregnant with her first child) and her friends actor/writer Wojciech Frykowski, his girlfriend Abigail Folger (heiress to the Folger coffee fortune), and hairstylist Jay Sebring at the couple’s home in August 1969. Polanski was out of the country at the time of the murders. Also killed was Steven Parent, who was leaving after visiting his friend, William Garretson, the caretaker … Continue reading →