‘Monster’ Caught In Beloved Bar Owner’s Deadly Shooting: Police

MOMENCE, IL — A suspect in the slaying of a beloved Momence bar owner has been captured, the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday afternoon.

Bar owner Courtney Drysdale, 30, was shot twice execution-style in a robbery just as she was opening the business late Monday morning, authorities said Tuesday morning. By Tuesday afternoon—26 hours after the killing—authorities have a suspect in custody.

Julius E. Burkes Jr., 47, was apprehended in the 6400 block of Rhode Island Ave., in Hammond, Indiana as he was exiting his residence, the sheriff's office announced.

"I want to praise, not only the extraordinary efforts of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office, the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, the FBI, the US Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Hammond Police Department on this quick and peaceful apprehension, but I want to commend the community-at-large for coming together and providing quantities of tips and information that ultimately led to this swift arrest,” said Sheriff Mike Downey.

"This type of violent behavior has no place in our society, and I am extremely appreciative of the overwhelming support we received from the public, the media as well as our partners in the criminal justice system near and far.”

The Kankakee County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to The Line bar in rural Momence, near the Illinois-Indiana state line along Illinois Route 114, just before noon Monday. Courtney Drysdale, 30, was found and pronounced dead at the scene. Her death was ruled a homicide, based on evidence gathered during a preliminary investigation, the sheriff's office said Monday evening.

Authorities in a press conference on Tuesday said Drysdale was opening the bar Monday, when an unknown man walked in and demanded money. Drysdale complied, but the man shot her anyway.

On Tuesday morning, authorities released images of a person and vehicle of interest in the incident. The images were obtained after the man tried to remove what he believed to be a recording device from the wall.

Drysdale had been a longtime bartender at the business before becoming the owner, ABC7 reported. She was engaged, with a school-aged daughter.

"I mean it, she was probably the nicest person. I could always go to her for anything," Drysdale's friend and coworker Hailey Gershon told ABC7. "She would literally give up the whole world for somebody and would always be there for everybody, even if she was upset or going through things. She would push those aside for others and, like, make sure they were happy."

The bar shared on social media Monday evening that it is closed until further notice.

Police said the man had last been seen heading east toward Indiana, in a white, four-door BMW sedan with a sunroof and distinctive dark rims.

"... Courtney was deeply loved, not only by her family and young daughter, but also by the many patrons and friends whose lives she touched," said Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey. "This senseless act of violence has profoundly impacted our community, and we are fully committed to bringing the person responsible to justice."

Burkes is currently being held in Indiana, where he awaits an extradition hearing back to Illinois.

"We hope that in some way the apprehension of this monster will bring some sort of peace to Courtney’s family, friends and community," the sheriff's office said on social media. "Please continue to keep them in your prayers."