Momence, a small rural community near the Illinois–Indiana state line, is reeling after 30-year-old Courtney M. Drysdale was found shot to death inside her own bar Monday just as she was opening for the day. Her death has been ruled a homicide and investigators say a suspect has since been taken into custody.
Just before noon on February 2, deputies from the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office were called to The Line bar on Illinois Route 114, responding to a report of a possibly deceased person. They found Drysdale inside and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office quickly classified the case as a homicide.
Sheriff Mike Downey later described what officials believe happened that morning: Drysdale was alone, preparing to open, when a man entered and demanded money from the cash register. Despite her compliance, the suspect shot her twice in what authorities called an execution-style attack before fleeing east toward Indiana.
Surveillance footage captured images of a man in a bright jacket and a white sedan believed to be connected to the crime. Deputies released those photos and offered a $5,000 reward through Kankakee County Crime Stoppers for any tips leading to identification.
Within about 26 hours of the killing, law enforcement followed a tip and surrounded a residence in Hammond, Indiana. They arrested 47-year-old Julius E. Burkes Jr. as he left his home, and he now faces a murder charge. Burkes is being held in Indiana while authorities prepare to extradite him back to Illinois.
Friends and family remember Drysdale as the kind of person who made her bar more than a business — it was a place where neighbors gathered and felt at home. She leaves behind a fiancé and a young daughter, and the community has been left with a profound sense of loss.
The Line announced it will remain closed until further notice as investigators continue their work. Authorities say anyone with additional information should contact the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers.
This tragedy has shaken this tight-knit town and sparked conversations about safety and support for small business owners in rural communities.
