Woman fatally shot inside rural Illinois bar she owned

MOMENCE, Ill. (TCN) -- A suspect is in custody following the fatal shooting of a woman at a bar she owned.

The Kanakee County Sheriff’s Office announced officers responded to a rural bar near the Illinois/Indiana state line on Feb. 2 after receiving reports of a possible deceased person. Police found the body of the owner, 30-year-old Courtney Drysdale, who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

WLS reports Drysdale was getting ready to open her bar for the day when a suspect came in with a gun and demanded money from the register. She cooperated but was shot twice, execution-style. The suspect then drove away in a white BMW sedan.

Southwest Regional Publishing reports Drysdale was alone in the bar when the shooting occurred. 

investigators released images of the shooter from surveillance cameras and offered a $5,000 reward for more information, WLS reports. According to the sheriff’s department, the shooter tried to remove the recording device from the wall, but investigators were able to recover footage.

Just over 24 hours later, following a tip, Julius E. Burkes Jr., 47, was arrested leaving his home in Hammond, Indiana. He was booked into custody on suspicion of murder while awaiting extradition to Illinois, according to WLS.

WLS reports that investigators are unsure whether Burkes was a regular at the bar.

At a press conference, Kanakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said, “Courtney was deeply loved not only by her family and her young daughter but also by the many patrons and friends whose lives she touched.”

WLS reports Burkes waived extradition at his court appearance on Feb. 4 and told the judge he is on bond for a previous charge. The judge then ruled he will not be released back to Illinois until his pending matter is solved in Indiana. His next court date is Feb. 26.

MORE: