Momence, Illinois – A small town near the Illinois–Indiana border is in deep shock after beloved bar owner and mom Courtney Drysdale was fatally shot in what authorities are calling an execution‑style killing as she worked to open her business early Monday.
Drysdale, 30, was preparing to open The Line, a humble local bar on rural Illinois Route 114 just before 11 a.m., when a man walked in, brandished a firearm and demanded money from the register, according to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office.
Even though Drysdale handed over the cash, the suspect allegedly shot her twice at close range and fled the scene. Deputies found her suffering from fatal wounds inside the bar. She was pronounced dead there, leaving behind a grieving fiancé and a school‑age daughter.
In a swift break, law enforcement officers arrested 47‑year‑old Julius E. Burkes Jr. Tuesday in Hammond, Indiana, about 26 hours after the shooting, as he was leaving his home. He’s now held on suspicion of murder and awaiting extradition to Illinois to face charges.
Sheriff Mike Downey described the crime as cold and senseless, stressing that Drysdale complied with the suspect’s demands and had shown no resistance. Investigators also say Burkes attempted to tamper with a surveillance camera at the bar before fleeing, but video evidence was recovered.
Friends and patrons remember Drysdale as a generous, kind presence in Momence, a woman who poured her heart into her business and her community. Hailey Gershon, a friend and coworker, said the arrest brought some relief but didn’t ease the pain of losing someone deeply loved.
Since the shooting, The Line remains closed, and memorials have sprung up near the bar as the community mourns and seeks justice. Authorities continue to gather facts as the case moves forward, with many in Momence still trying to make sense of how violence could strike an ordinary Monday morning.
