A 47-year-old man was arrested in Indiana after authorities say he entered a rural bar near the Illinois-Indiana line late Monday morning, demanded cash and fatally shot the owner before fleeing. The victim was identified as Courtney M. Drysdale, 30, who was getting ready to open The Line bar east of Momence around 11 a.m., the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators described the killing as a targeted robbery that turned deadly even after the owner complied. Sheriff Mike Downey said Drysdale was shot twice during the confrontation and pronounced dead at the scene. By Tuesday afternoon, detectives released images of a person of interest and a vehicle and asked the public for tips. Within hours, a multi-agency team located and arrested Julius E. Burkes Jr. outside a residence in Hammond, Ind., about 50 miles from the bar. Authorities credited a flood of tips and coordination among departments for the quick arrest. On Wednesday, Burkes appeared in an Indiana courtroom and waived extradition to Illinois. Prosecutors in Illinois said they are preparing formal charges that could include first-degree murder and armed robbery.
Deputies and medics were dispatched to The Line, along Illinois Route 114 near the state border, after a 911 call at about 11 a.m. Monday. Crime scene technicians documented the bar’s front area and a register station. Detectives reviewed surveillance video that investigators say showed a man in a high-visibility jacket inside the business. According to the sheriff’s office, the assailant demanded money and Drysdale opened the register. Despite her cooperation, the man shot her twice, then tried to remove or disable recording equipment before leaving. “This was a heinous act against a young mother and small-business owner in our community,” Downey said during a briefing. The department circulated still images from the video and a description of a white BMW seen leaving the scene.
Less than 36 hours after the shooting, task force officers arrested Burkes in the 6400 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Hammond. Authorities said he was taken into custody without incident. Investigators said evidence recovered during the arrest included clothing consistent with the surveillance stills and other items now being tested. Officials also said digital forensics teams are working to extract additional video from storage devices recovered at the bar. The Kankakee County Coroner’s Office confirmed Drysdale’s identity and said preliminary autopsy findings list two gunshot wounds as the cause of death. Detectives said they have not identified any other suspects and believe the assailant acted alone. A reward of $5,000 had been offered during the manhunt, and investigators said community calls were critical to locating the suspect quickly.
Authorities said Burkes has a criminal history that includes a decades-old murder case from his adolescence and more recent arrests in Indiana, including an alleged residential break-in reported in December. Court records in Lake County, Ind., show a pending felony case that could briefly delay physical transfer to Illinois despite the waiver of extradition. Prosecutors said they anticipate a coordinated handoff once Indiana proceedings are resolved or a detainer is executed. In Illinois, the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office is expected to seek charges connected to the robbery and killing, with initial filings to be followed by a grand jury review. Officials emphasized that details about prior convictions would be addressed in court filings and at future hearings, not at the probable-cause stage.
Drysdale owned and operated The Line, a roadside bar that serves farm country east of Momence and the nearby river towns along the state line. Locals described the place as a gathering spot for shift workers, anglers and neighbors who know one another by name. Residents who stopped by Tuesday left flowers and cards near the door as deputies maintained a scene guard. “She was just a really caring person,” one regular said, adding that Drysdale had recently updated the bar’s interior and organized weekend events. The sheriff’s office said it increased patrols along Route 114 this week and assigned extra units to business checks while the homicide investigation continues.
Investigators are constructing a detailed timeline that begins Monday morning as Drysdale arrived to open for the day. They are reviewing traffic cameras along Route 114 and nearby county roads for footage of the suspect vehicle before and after the shooting. Detectives said they have canvassed for additional private security video, collected ballistic evidence and submitted items to state crime labs. They are also tracing the firearm allegedly used in the killing to determine how it was obtained and whether it has been linked to other crimes. Officials said any recovered shell casings will be compared against the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network for potential matches. The bar remained closed midweek as the landlord and family coordinated access for investigators.
Burkes’ initial appearance in Illinois is expected once he is transferred from Indiana custody. Prosecutors said the first hearing in Kankakee County would address bond, the formal reading of charges and the appointment of counsel. A later preliminary hearing would determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial if a grand jury indictment is not yet in place. If indicted, an arraignment would follow and a trial judge would be assigned. Authorities said they intend to present surveillance evidence and witness statements, including accounts from motorists and nearby business owners who reported seeing a man leaving the bar area late Monday morning.
The killing has rattled residents in and around Momence, a city of about 3,100 near the Kankakee River. Several business owners along Washington Street and Route 114 said they swapped camera footage with detectives and checked their own opening routines. Outside The Line, tire tracks marked the edge of a gravel lot where neighbors gathered briefly, speaking in low voices and pausing before the taped door. A woman who lives a few miles away said Drysdale had offered to host benefit raffles for local causes. “She was the kind of person who remembered customers’ kids’ names,” the woman said. Another patron said he planned to light a candle at home and share a note with Drysdale’s family.
As of Thursday, the sheriff’s office said investigators were not seeking any additional suspects. Burkes remained held in Indiana while paperwork proceeds on the Illinois case. Officials said the next update would likely come after Indiana court matters are addressed and a transfer date is set. The bar will stay closed while evidence processing continues, and detectives plan another canvass in the area for any additional video that may have been missed in the first sweep.
Author note: Last updated February 5, 2026.