Arrest in murder of Montana camper initially blamed on bear: NPR

When Dustin Kjersem’s girlfriend found his body at a campsite in the woods of Montana, she suspected Kjersem had been killed by a bear due to the severity of his injuries. But police say a man did it and they have now arrested a suspect who has admitted to the crime.

The accused killer “removed items from the campsite that he believed could have evidence linking him to the crime,” including an ax used against Kjersem, Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said in a news briefing on Thursday.

But he was missing a beer can, Springer said. Using DNA from the can, the Montana state crime lab was able to find a match: Daren Christopher Abbey.

“This individual confessed to the murder of Dustin Kjersem,” the sheriff said of Abbey, who is 41.

Abbey is being held in Butte on charges of intentional homicide and two counts of tampering with evidence. He was denied bond, according to Gallatin County records.

Stands corrections department files shows that Abbey has four or more arrests for DUI, raising the offense crime level. He has several tattoos on his stomach and arms, including swastikas and Viking symbols.

Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the killing. Spring said that although Abbey has told them his version of events, investigators are still working to ensure they know the whole truth.

“There does not appear to be any connection between our victim and our suspect,” Spring said, later adding: “This appears to be a heinous crime committed by an individual who had no regard for Dustin’s life Kjersem.”

Describing Kjersem’s final days, the sheriff said the 35-year-old set up camp on Thursday, Oct. 10, in the Moose Creek area, about 35 miles south of Bozeman, where he planned to spend the weekend with his girlfriend to take.

“This camp included a wall tent complete with wood stove, beds, lamps and several other items,” Springer said.

Kjersem’s girlfriend had to work on Friday, so he planned to leave the campsite and bring her back that evening.

“Dustin didn’t show up to pick up his girlfriend and she became concerned,” Springer said. “On Saturday morning, she and her friend drove to the campsite and found Dustin deceased in the tent.”

Abbey, who has ties to the nearby town of Big Sky, told investigators he also planned to camp that Thursday — but when he reached the spot where he planned to settle, Kjersem was already there.

“He stated that Dustin welcomed him to the campsite and offered him a beer,” the sheriff said. “At one point, this individual hit Dustin Jerson with a piece of solid wood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver, and finally hit him with the axe.”

Springer alleged that Abbey took a number of items from the campsite, including an Estwing camp axe, a Remington shotgun, a Ruger Blackhawk revolver and an orange YETI brand cooler.

If NPR reported earlier this week, the sheriff’s office initially said that when Kjersem’s death was reported, a bear attack might have been the cause.

But conservationists found no signs of bear activity, and an autopsy supported the idea that the case was a homicide, sparking a search for Kjersem’s killer.