GALLATIN COUNTY, Mont. (TCN) — A 41-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of killing a camper whose injuries were initially called in as a bear attack.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office first shared news about 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem’s death after his remains were found on the morning of Oct. 12.
In a press conference, Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said Kjersem set up a campsite with a woodstove, tent, bed, lamps, and other items so that he and his girlfriend could go camping the weekend of Oct. 12. Kjersem reportedly failed to pick up his girlfriend for their trip, so she went to look for him. When she got to his location, she discovered him deceased from a suspected bear attack.
Several law enforcement agencies arrived at the scene, including the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP), and an FWP agent determined there was no bear activity. Investigators ruled Kjersem’s death a homicide.
Capt. Nathan Kamerman reportedly said the autopsy determined Kjersem “sustained multiple chop wounds, which led to his death.”
According to Springer, investigators collected DNA from a beer cabin inside Kjersem’s tent. They found a match and identified Daren Abbey as the primary suspect in his death. Springer said the incident “appears to be a chance encounter,” and there is no prior connection between the victim and suspect.
Authorities took Abbey into custody on Oct. 26. During an interview on Oct. 29, Springer said Abbey admitted to killing Kjersem. Abbey was reportedly looking for a place to camp when Kjersem offered him a beer. The suspect then allegedly struck the victim with solid wood, stabbed him with a screwdriver, and hit him with an ax. The sheriff said the motive is still unknown.
Following the victim’s death, Abbey reportedly removed items from Kjersem’s campsite to conceal his crimes. He returned the following night to remove additional items.
Abbey remains held in the Gallatin County Jail on charges of deliberate homicide and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
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