The man charged with the execution-style murder of a bar owner last month in far south suburban Momence has pleaded not guilty.
The man charged with the execution-style murder of a bar owner last month in far south suburban Momence has pleaded not guilty.Julius Burkes, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 2 death of Courtney Drysdale, owner of The Line Bar in Momence.
At his arraignment hearing on Monday, he pleaded not guilty and demanded a jury trial.Prosecutors have said Burkes shot Drysdale execution-style on Feb. 2, shortly after she'd opened her bar.According to prosecutors, surveillance video from inside and outside the bar captured the entire incident. They said Drysdale opened her bar at 11 a.m. on Feb. 2 as normal. About five minutes later, a white BMW sedan with a sunroof is seen on outside video entering the parking lot.Prosecutors say Burkes can be seen getting out of the car and walking into the bar through the front door, wearing a bright yellow/green reflective jacket, a baseball cap, a head and neck covering under the hat, green and black MaxiFlex work gloves and glasses. Just before going in, Burkes allegedly takes a gun out of the right pocket of his jacket.Prosecutors say once inside the bar, Burkes points the gun at Drysdale, orders her around the bar, and takes items from the cash register and office. He then tells her to sit on the floor behind the bar, and shoots her execution-style once, prosecutors say.Prosecutors say the video shows Burke start to walk away, then turn back and shoot Drysdale for a second time. He then goes back out to his car and drives away, the court documents say.According to prosecutors, Burkes worked at The Line Bar under the previous owner, when it was called Kavalier's Bar, from 2017 to 2019. During that time he worked with Drysdale at the bar, and prosecutors said he was fired when she reported to the then-owner that he was stealing money from the bar.Burkes was arrested the day after the shooting, just hours after the Kankakee County Sheriff shared images of a suspect in Drysdale's murder. At his first court appearance last month, a judge ordered him held in jail until he faces trial. He is due back in court on Tuesday to schedule his trial date.The video above is from a previous report.
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