The family and friends of Courtney M. Drysdale now have some closure after police say they apprehended a suspect in the 30-year-old bar owner’s Monday murder.
Within 26 hours, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, the Illinois State Police, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Hammond Police Department were able to piece together what happened, identify Drysdale’s alleged murderer, locate him, and apprehend him.
Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey commended the agencies involved as well as “the community-at-large for coming together and providing quantities of tips and information that ultimately led to this swift arrest.”
Drysdale’s alleged murderer was identified as 47-year-old Julius E. Burkes Jr., of Hammond. Burkes was apprehended in the 6400 block of Rhode Island Avenue as he was exiting his residence, police reported.
Before Burkes’ capture, police reported an unidentified black male entered The Line bar at approximately 11 a.m. on February 2, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from its cash register, police said.
The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office called the incident “a devastating and horrific event,” as Drysdale complied with the assailant’s demands but was still shot twice, execution style.
Drysdale owned The Line sports bar in Momence, at 17969 IL-114, near the Indiana-Illinois state line. An update on the bar’s Facebook page following the sheriff’s press release stated, “In light of tragic events, we will be closed until further notice.”
Before fleeing the establishment, the suspect attempted to remove what police say he believed were security cameras. Investigators were still able to obtain the surveillance footage, which enabled them to produce several clear pictures of the suspect and determine what occurred.
No one else was inside the bar at the time of the incident, police said.
Initially, the call came in for a report of a “possible deceased individual” after Drysdale’s slain body was discovered by an unidentified individual. Police had arrived shortly before noon, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death was ruled a homicide.
The Line bar was open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., according to its Facebook page.
Following the murder, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office turned to the media, releasing several photos of the suspect, identifying him as a person of interest in the killing. Security footage images showed the suspect wearing a yellow high-visibility sweatshirt with reflectors and carrying a clipboard.
The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office set up a Crimestoppers tip line to seek the public’s help in identifying the suspect and offered a $5,000 cash reward for anyone who had information leading to the identification and apprehension of Drysdale’s killer.
Police described the black male suspect as wearing eyeglasses with facial hair and indicated he was last seen traveling east toward Indiana in a white, four-door BMW sedan with dark rims and a sunroof.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, Downey said investigators were “not sure at this point” whether the crime was random, and they were still reviewing footage to see if the suspect had ever been in the bar before.
“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,” Downey said at the press conference.
Downey pleaded with the public to keep a distance if they encountered anyone resembling the suspect because he was presumed to be armed and dangerous.
“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,” Downey said.
Burkes will be extradited to Illinois to face charges.
“We hope that in some way the apprehension of this monster will bring some sort of peace to Courtney’s family, friends and community. Please continue to keep them in your prayers,” an updated Kankakee County Sheriff’s press release stated.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.
