Suspect Charged in Brutal Murder of Camper, Initially Reported as Possible Bear Attack

Mary Man
By Mary Man
November 1, 2024US News
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Suspect Charged in Brutal Murder of Camper, Initially Reported as Possible Bear Attack
Dustin Kjersem. (Courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff's Office)

A 41-year-old Montana man was charged with murder Friday in a brutal slaying at a remote campsite that had been initially reported as a possible bear mauling by people who found the victim’s body.

At a Thursday press conference, Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said that Dustin Mitchell Kjersem, 35, had welcomed 41-year-old Daren Christopher Abbey, into his Montana campsite despite never having met him. Abbey later admitted to hacking Kjersem to death.

The sheriff continued: “During the confession, we learned the suspect was looking for a place to camp on Thursday night and had planned on this particular site. When he approached, he saw someone was already staying there.”

In what Springer described as a “hideous crime,” Abbey allegedly struck Kjersem in the head with a piece of wood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver, and ultimately attacked him with an ax.

The motives for this attack are still unknown. Springer stated that “there does not appear to be any connection between our victim and our suspect.”

When Kjersem didn’t show up on the night of Oct. 11 to pick up his girlfriend as planned for their weekend together, she became worried.

The next morning, she and a friend drove to the campsite, where they discovered Kjersem’s bloodied body in a makeshift campground in a remote area near Big Sky.

Initially, she told 911 dispatchers that he had been attacked by a bear. However, officials found no evidence of bears in the area, and an autopsy later confirmed that Kjersem’s death was a homicide.

Detectives collected DNA from a beer can inside Kjersem’s tent and sent it to the Montana State Crime Lab, where it matched Abbey, who was already in custody on unrelated charges. He allegedly confessed when questioned.

The suspect reportedly took possible evidence from the campsite, including an ax, a shotgun, a revolver, and a cooler, and later returned to remove more items, according to Springer.

“Investigators will continue to piece together everything they can to build a better picture of the events that evening,” the sheriff said.

Nate Cameron, captain of the Detective Division, expressed gratitude to the community, saying the department is thankful to the community for assisting “a multitude of agencies, labs, analysts, and volunteers” in collecting leads and evidence for the case.

“The community and the sheriff’s office can be proud of the work they’ve done,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.