Pictures of 'person of interest' released, $5,000 reward offered after Momence bar owner, 30, killed

Police have released pictures of a 'person of interest' in the homicide of a 30-year-old woman at the bar she owned in Momence along the Illinois Indiana state line.

A $5,000 reward is also being offered for information leading to an arrest in the death of Courtney M. Drysdale, 30, who was found dead at the bar just before noon Monday the Kankakee County sheriff's office said.

The Line tavern, on Illinois 114 near the Illinois/Indiana state line, is about 65 miles south of Chicago.

Based on evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, Sheriff’s detectives have classified the incident as a homicide investigation, police said.

The sheriff's office released photos of a person of interest and a white BMW that they say may have been involved in the slaying.

Friends told ABC7 Drysdale was the owner of that bar, called The Line. Hailey Gershon, a longtime friend who also works at the bar, says Drysdale leaves behind a fiancé and a school-age daughter.

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

In a Facebook post, the bar said it'd be closed until further notice "in light of recent events."

The Kankakee County coroner's office was conducting an autopsy Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Kankakee County sheriff’s office at 815-802-7150.