Deputies say the suspect was taken into custody a day after the slaying and later waived extradition in an Indiana courtroom.
MOMENCE, IL — An Indiana man was arrested Tuesday in the fatal shooting of Courtney M. Drysdale, a 30-year-old bar owner found dead Monday late morning at The Line, her business near the state border, Kankakee County officials said. The suspect, identified as Julius E. Burkes Jr., 47, was taken into custody outside his Hammond home and is being held in Indiana as authorities coordinate next legal steps.
Investigators said Drysdale was preparing to open the rural bar shortly before 11 a.m. when a man entered, displayed a gun and demanded money. Despite her compliance, the gunman shot her twice before fleeing, according to Sheriff Mike Downey. Deputies recovered surveillance video from inside the business and asked the public for help identifying a person of interest. After images were released and a reward posted, a surge of tips arrived. Burkes was arrested the next afternoon. Prosecutors in Illinois are reviewing evidence as the case moves from the arrest phase toward formal charging decisions in state court.
Deputies and paramedics were called to The Line, along Route 114 east of Momence, just before noon Monday, after someone found Drysdale inside. The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said video showed a man wearing a bright jacket and cap in the bar that morning. At a news conference Tuesday, Downey said Drysdale “cooperated,” but the assailant still fired two rounds before leaving. He said the suspect tried to remove what he thought was a recording device, but investigators retained footage. Late Tuesday, after the sheriff’s televised appeal, law enforcement teams from Illinois and Indiana located Burkes in the 6400 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Hammond and took him into custody without incident, officials said.
Authorities said Burkes is being held on suspicion of murder tied to the Kankakee County case and remains jailed in Indiana while extradition and other court matters are addressed. In a Wednesday appearance in Lake County, Ind., court, Burkes waived extradition. A judge noted he has an unresolved Indiana case and set his next hearing there for Feb. 26, according to officials. Sheriff’s investigators said they recovered images of a white sedan leaving the scene toward Indiana. They did not immediately say whether the vehicle belongs to the suspect. Detectives have not announced a motive and have not said whether the victim and suspect knew each other.
Downey credited the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, the FBI and Hammond police for a quick arrest following the public appeal. The sheriff said a $5,000 reward offer and widely shared images produced “quantities of tips” in the hours before Burkes was detained. Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe said his office will review investigative reports for potential charges and, because the suspect crossed state lines after the shooting, will also consult with federal partners to determine any jurisdictional issues. Officials emphasized the investigation remains active, with additional interviews and forensic steps underway.
Drysdale, a longtime bartender who became the owner of The Line in 2022, was well known to regulars at the small bar near the state border. Friends placed a candle outside the entrance Monday evening, and the business announced it would remain closed until further notice. “Courtney was deeply loved, not only by her family and her young daughter, but also by many patrons and friends,” Downey said. A friend and co-worker, Hailey Gershon, described Drysdale as a generous person who “would always be there for everybody,” and said news of an arrest brought some relief for those who knew her.
Records indicate deputies were dispatched shortly before noon Monday and that the bar’s regular opening time is 11 a.m. Investigators said the man seen in surveillance wore a high-visibility jacket and glasses. They said a white BMW sedan was observed leaving eastbound toward Indiana after the shooting. Neighbors on Burkes’ block in Hammond said police vehicles converged on the street Tuesday. One neighbor said seeing a SWAT team arrive was “shocking,” adding that people in the area “didn’t know anyone’s history” until the arrest.
As of Friday, authorities said the case remains open and charging decisions are pending in Illinois. Burkes is expected to remain in Lake County, Ind., custody until at least his Feb. 26 hearing there, after which extradition to Kankakee County could proceed. Sheriff’s officials said they plan additional updates as evidence is processed and prosecutors decide on counts in state court. The next anticipated milestone is a formal filing decision and, if granted, the scheduling of a first appearance in Illinois.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.