Featured Image

Suspect Identified in Heinous Murder of Camper in Montana

A 35-year-old man named Dustin Kjersem, a father to a young child, was murdered in his camping tent earlier this month near Big Sky, Montana. At first, authorities thought a bear attacked Kjersem based on reports from the person who found the body. An investigation revealed a different cause of death—homicide—and now, authorities say they have apprehended a suspect in this heinous crime.

Videos by Outdoors

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office has kept the public updated on the ongoing investigation with multiple Facebook posts, including the latest news announcing they have a suspect. The posts also identify the victim as Dustin Kjersem of Belgrade, Montana.

“At 10:07 a.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024, a caller reported discovering a deceased male in a tent approximately 2.5 miles up Moose Creek Road,” the Sheriff’s Office reported on October 15. “The caller indicated that the death may have been caused by a bear attack [. . .] A Montana FWP agent with expertise in bear attacks responded and did not find any signs of bear activity at the scene. This prompted investigators to treat the case as a homicide. Evidence gathered through an autopsy further indicated that this was a homicide.”

In fact, evidence suggests the murderer may have used Kjersem’s ax to kill him, and the autopsy reportedly showed that Kjersem sustained “multiple chop wounds, which led to his death.”

UPDATE 11/2/24: Police have arrested Daren Christopher Abbey for Kjersem’s murder. Learn more.

See some of the latest updates the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office has shared about Dustin Kjersem’s murder here:


Best Bear Sprays

Learn more about bear sprays here.

This post contains affiliate links. Outdoors.com may earn a commission when you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support.  


Featured Image

WATCH: Bear Raids Candy Shop in Tennessee

Featured Image

‘Furry Creature’ With Iridescent Fringe Turns up on a Beach (Video)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top