Background: News footage of The Line bar in Momence, Ill. (WLS). Inset (left): Courtney Drysdale (Jensen Memorial Chapel and Cremation Society). Inset (right): Julius Burkes Jr. (Kankakee County Sheriff”s Office).
A tragic incident unfolded in Illinois when a woman was fatally shot while opening her bar, following an alleged robbery. The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of 47-year-old Julius Burkes Jr., apprehended outside his residence in Hammond, Indiana, shortly after the murder of 30-year-old Courtney Drysdale.
Drysdale, who owned The Line bar in Momence, Illinois, was discovered dead on Monday morning. This small town is situated near the Illinois-Indiana border. Authorities, led by Sheriff Mike Downey, received several tips from the public after distributing surveillance footage of the suspect, which played a pivotal role in tracking down Burkes.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, prior to Burkes’ capture, Sheriff Downey elaborated on the chilling details of the crime. He revealed that while Drysdale was preparing to open her establishment around 11 a.m., she was confronted by the suspect. The assailant, armed with a gun, demanded money from the cash register. Despite Drysdale’s compliance with his demands, she was mercilessly shot twice in what Downey described as an “execution-style” manner.
The suspect, identified as Burkes, reportedly attempted to disable a surveillance camera before fleeing the scene. However, investigators were able to recover crucial video evidence, which significantly aided in the investigation.
Following the arrest, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office announced via Facebook that Burkes is currently detained in Indiana and will soon be extradited to Illinois, where he will face charges for the heinous act.
In a Facebook post announcing the arrest, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said Burkes was being held in Indiana and would be extradited to Illinois to face charges.
Drysdale’s friend and coworker Hailey Gershon told WLS that the bar owner left behind a fiance and a daughter in elementary school. She was a longtime bartender at The Line before becoming its owner. A Facebook page for The Line announced that the bar would remain closed until further notice “in light of tragic events.”
