Homicide Investigation Launched After Courtney Drysdale Found Dead at The Line Bar in Momence, IL, Kankakee Sheriff Reports

A tragic incident has shaken the quiet community of Momence, Illinois, as local authorities launched a homicide investigation following the discovery of a woman’s body at a rural bar she owned. The unsettling event unfolded on Monday, capturing the attention of both the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office and concerned residents.

The grim discovery was made just before noon at a bar located near the Illinois-Indiana state line along Illinois Route 114. Responding deputies found the lifeless body of 30-year-old Courtney M. Drysdale, a well-known resident of Momence. Authorities confirmed that Drysdale was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Drysdale was not only a resident but also the proprietor of the establishment, aptly named The Line. Friends and patrons alike are grappling with the loss of a woman they describe as kind and generous. Hailey Gershon, a close friend and employee at the bar, expressed her disbelief over the tragic event, noting the selflessness that marked Drysdale’s character.

“She was probably the nicest person you could ever meet,” Gershon shared with a heavy heart. “Courtney was someone who would put others before herself, always ready to lend a hand despite her own struggles. It’s hard to imagine who would want to harm someone with such a giving spirit.”

The investigation remains ongoing as the community mourns the loss of a beloved friend and business owner. Local authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward to aid in unraveling this heartbreaking mystery. As residents try to make sense of this tragedy, they hold on to the memory of Drysdale’s kindness and unwavering support for those around her.

Gershon says Drysdale leaves behind a fiancé and a school-age daughter. Drysdale was a longtime bartender at that bar before becoming the owner and is well known to the patrons there.

Sheriff’s detectives classified her death as a homicide investigation based on evidence they gathered during their preliminary investigation. Details about that evidence were not immediately available.

The investigation is ongoing, and the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information to call them at (815) 802-7150 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (815) 93-CRIME.