Tragic Shooting Claims Life of Engaged Mom During Bar Robbery, Say Police Reports

An Illinois community is mourning after a local bar owner was tragically killed while preparing to open her establishment, allegedly shot by a man who first robbed her.

On Tuesday, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office reported that they had apprehended 47-year-old Julius Burkes Jr. outside his residence in Hammond, Indiana. This arrest came a day after the discovery of 30-year-old Courtney Drysdale’s body at her bar. Sheriff Mike Downey shared with Chicago’s ABC affiliate, WLS, that numerous tips poured in after authorities had disseminated surveillance footage featuring the suspect involved in the homicide of Drysdale.

Drysdale was found shot on Monday morning at The Line, her bar located in Momence, Illinois, close to the Illinois-Indiana border.

Earlier on Tuesday, just before Burkes’ capture, Downey held a press conference detailing the incident. He explained that Drysdale was unlocking The Line around 11 a.m. when a man approached her, wielded a firearm, and demanded money from the register. Despite her compliance, Downey revealed, the assailant shot her twice in what he described as an “execution-style” attack.

After the crime, the suspect, identified as Burkes, reportedly attempted to interfere with a surveillance camera, believing he could evade detection. However, investigators successfully retrieved crucial video evidence, according to Downey.

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.”