Suspect in Dustin Kjersem murder near Big Sky appears in court

BOZEMAN – The man accused of murdering Dustin Kjersem of Belgrade at his campsite near Big Sky in October appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court on November 1, 2024.

Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, has been formally charged with one count of intentional homicide and two counts of tampering with or tampering with evidence.

Kjersem was found dead at his campsite on Moose Creek Road on Saturday morning, October 12, by his girlfriend and another friend. His death was originally believed to be the result of a bear attack; Investigators launched a homicide investigation after an FWP specialist ruled out bear activity.

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According to Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer, a DNA sample taken from a beer can at the campground was a match to Abbey. Charging documents indicate he was located by the Butte Police Department in Butte on the morning of Saturday, October 26, and taken into custody for a probation violation.

A Gallatin County sheriff's deputy reportedly interviewed Abbey on Oct. 29 along with a criminal investigations agent. According to charging documents, Abbey confessed to killing Kjersem on Thursday, Oct. 10, citing self-defense.

Abbey allegedly said he hit Kjersem in the head with a piece of firewood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver and hit him in the face with the blunt side of an axe.

Charging documents also state that Abbey admitted to taking several items that had his fingerprints on them, including two coolers, a .44 Magnum pistol and holster, a shotgun and a shotgun shell. He reportedly admitted to washing the ax and screwdriver in the stream.

Abbey allegedly said he returned to the campsite the next day because he had forgotten his hat. According to charging documents, he also stole a pair of binoculars and a headlamp from Kjersem's truck and disposed of two phones he took from Kjersem's tent. The phones were reportedly found on October 17th.

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Charging documents say Abbey admitted to washing the clothes he was wearing at the time and burning the shoes he was wearing in a wood stove.

Abbey was arrested and held at the Butte Detention Center until he was transferred to Gallatin County.

In court Friday, Abbey's bail was set at $1.5 million. His next hearing is scheduled for November 15, 2024.