Indiana Man Arrested in Illinois Bar Owner Shooting

A 47-year-old Indiana man has been arrested in connection with the execution-style shooting of a 30-year-old Illinois bar owner during an alleged robbery at her establishment near the state line.

Courtney Drysdale was fatally shot twice on Monday morning, February 2, around 11 a.m., while preparing to open The Line, the bar she owned in Momence, Illinois, a small community of about 3,000 residents located roughly 50 miles south of Chicago along Route 114. Authorities say Julius E. Burkes Jr. entered the bar alone, brandished a firearm and demanded money from the cash register. Drysdale, who was the only person inside at the time, complied with the demand, but Burkes allegedly shot her anyway before fleeing the scene.

Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey described the incident during a Tuesday news conference as a senseless act that occurred during Drysdale's routine preparations for the day. "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. "This senseless act of violence has profoundly impacted our community, and we are fully committed to bringing the person responsible to...