MOMENCE, IL — Authorities are investigating a homicide after a 30-year-old woman was found dead at a bar in rural Momence near the Illinois–Indiana state line.
According to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched shortly before noon on Monday, February 2, 2026, to a bar along Illinois Route 114 following a report of a possible deceased individual. Upon arrival, officers discovered Courtney M. Drysdale, 30, of Momence, who was later confirmed to be the bar owner of “The Line.” Drysdale was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Based on evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, sheriff’s detectives classified the case as a homicide. Investigators later released images of a person and vehicle of interest to the public, seeking tips via social media.
At a press conference Tuesday morning, Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said the suspect entered the bar as Drysdale was opening for the day. The suspect brandished a firearm and demanded money, and although Drysdale complied, he shot her twice in an apparent “execution-style” attack. The suspect attempted to remove a video recording device, but surveillance footage captured the incident. He then fled in a white BMW sedan headed toward Indiana.
On Tuesday, February 3, around 1 p.m., law enforcement from Hammond, Indiana, and Illinois converged in an alley near the 6700 and 6500 blocks of Rhode Island Ave. A person of interest was taken into custody near a residence.
Approximately 26 hours after the murder, the suspect was identified as 47-year-old Julius E. Burkes Jr. He was apprehended in the 6400 block of Rhode Island Ave, Hammond, IN, as he exited his residence. Sheriff Downey praised the collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the public, for the swift and peaceful apprehension.
Burkes is currently held in Indiana awaiting an extradition hearing to Illinois, where he will face charges. Authorities urge anyone with additional information to contact the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office at (815) 802-7150 or Crime Stoppers at (815) 93-CRIME.
Sheriff Downey asked the community to continue keeping Courtney Drysdale’s family and friends in their prayers, noting that “this type of violent behavior has no place in our society,” and expressing hope that the arrest may bring some measure of peace to those grieving.
