R&B star Ashanti and rapper Nelly have sent their condolences to singer/actress Jennifer Hudson following the triple murder of her mother, brother and nephew over the weekend.

The Dreamgirls star's mom Darnell Donerson and brother Jason Hudson were found shot dead at their home in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, while the body of her seven-year-old nephew Julian King was found in the back of an abandoned SUV in the city on Monday.

Police have arrested William Balfour - the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia - in connection with the slayings, but he has yet to be charged. Now Hudson's celebrity pals have spoken out about the tragedies to express their sympathy for the grieving star and her family.

Ashanti tells MTV, "It's insane. I can't even express it, the pain that she must be going through. I can't imagine going through that. I just pray that she's strong and she takes the time to heal herself. My prayers go out to her and her family. God bless."

And hip-hop star Nelly, who lost his sister Jackie to leukaemia in 2005, admits he was lost for words when he heard about the murders. He says, "It's a rough thing to talk about. It's like, what do you say? You really don't know what to say to a person when you talk about death or losing a loved one. (All you can do is) send your blessings and positive energy. Hopefully, that will help her stay strong. Hopefully, there will come a day where she can move on from it. But I don't think she'll ever forget about it."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)