Man Convicted of Brutal Murder in Montana Campsite Killing Initially Thought to be Bear Attack
A gruesome campsite murder in Montana has taken a dark turn, as Daren Christopher Abbey, 42, was found guilty of brutally hacking his victim to death and leaving authorities baffled about the initial assumption that it was a bear attack.
Abbey's conviction comes after he was arrested and confessed to the crime, which occurred at a campsite near Big Sky in October 2024. The murder of Dustin Kjersem, a 35-year-old father who shared the campsite with Abbey by chance, has left many questions unanswered.
According to investigators, Abbey initially tried to claim self-defense after being pointed at gunpoint by Kjersem, but his defense failed to convince the jury. The trial revealed that Abbey's motive for the killing is still unknown.
Kjersem and Abbey met at the remote campsite on Moose Creek Road, where they shared a beer before Abbey attacked him with various objects, including a block of wood, an ax, and a screwdriver. Kjersem's girlfriend found his mutilated body in his tent two days after he was killed, leading authorities to initially assume that it was a bear attack.
However, DNA analysis on a beer can found inside the tent revealed Abbey as the prime suspect. Abbey had planned to camp at the site but found Kjersem there instead. By that evening, Kjersem had already set up his own campsite with multiple beds and a stove.
The investigation also showed that Abbey had tried to remove evidence from the campsite before returning to grab other items, including an ax and a shotgun.
Abbey faces up to life in prison on the homicide conviction alone and was also convicted of two counts of tampering with evidence. His sentencing is set for December 30.
A gruesome campsite murder in Montana has taken a dark turn, as Daren Christopher Abbey, 42, was found guilty of brutally hacking his victim to death and leaving authorities baffled about the initial assumption that it was a bear attack.
Abbey's conviction comes after he was arrested and confessed to the crime, which occurred at a campsite near Big Sky in October 2024. The murder of Dustin Kjersem, a 35-year-old father who shared the campsite with Abbey by chance, has left many questions unanswered.
According to investigators, Abbey initially tried to claim self-defense after being pointed at gunpoint by Kjersem, but his defense failed to convince the jury. The trial revealed that Abbey's motive for the killing is still unknown.
Kjersem and Abbey met at the remote campsite on Moose Creek Road, where they shared a beer before Abbey attacked him with various objects, including a block of wood, an ax, and a screwdriver. Kjersem's girlfriend found his mutilated body in his tent two days after he was killed, leading authorities to initially assume that it was a bear attack.
However, DNA analysis on a beer can found inside the tent revealed Abbey as the prime suspect. Abbey had planned to camp at the site but found Kjersem there instead. By that evening, Kjersem had already set up his own campsite with multiple beds and a stove.
The investigation also showed that Abbey had tried to remove evidence from the campsite before returning to grab other items, including an ax and a shotgun.
Abbey faces up to life in prison on the homicide conviction alone and was also convicted of two counts of tampering with evidence. His sentencing is set for December 30.
I don't get why he thought it was okay to just go all out on someone like that, especially since they were strangers at this campsite. 
I mean, was there no self-control or did he really think killing someone was the answer? 
It's also crazy how he tried to make up some story about being threatened and then just went for the kill instead of backing down. 
The fact that it took DNA from a beer can to figure out who did it is wild, like what else could be hidden in plain sight? 
. I mean, what's wrong with people? First, you think it's a bear attack, then they catch the guy, and now he's confessing to everything 
. I don't get why guys do this stuff, just hurtin' innocent people like that. And can you believe the plan was to make it look like a bear attack? That's just messed up 
. DNA evidence always comes out in the end, and these guys need to think about their actions before they take someone's life 
.
Anyway, I guess Abbey's plan didn't quite work out like he wanted it to. It's pretty wild how DNA analysis and stuff could crack the case wide open. I'm just glad Kjersem's girlfriend was able to find his body in time, or who knows how many more lives would've been lost? 
The fact that he's just going to get up to life in prison is a bit of a letdown, but I guess justice will be served eventually 
.
But, at the same time, that initial assumption was based on surface-level info... Abbey could've easily planted those clues himself. And what really gets me is how some ppl initially thought he was telling the truth about being attacked 
. It's like we're quick to believe what sounds more plausible, rather than digging deeper. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve his conviction, but there are still some unanswered questions... 
. The whole thing just gets creepier the more you think about it, like he planned that beer can with DNA on it to throw off investigators. And now he's facing life in prison, but I'm not sure if 30 years is enough for someone who basically hacked their victim to death 
. And now he's facing life in prison, which is about time 
. Now he's gonna have to deal with some serious time in prison 
... hope he gets the help he needs behind bars 
.
. This guy Abbey thought he could just walk into a campsite where some poor dude had already set up his own spot, and then have the guts to attack him? And he tried to claim it was self-defense like that's even an excuse 
. The fact that he thought he could just leave the campsite like nothing happened before returning for more items 
, it's just unbelievable. And poor Kjersem's girlfriend who had to find his body... I can only imagine how traumatic this must have been for her 
. Life in prison won't be easy for him, but at least he won't be a threat to society anymore 
. Justice will always catch up with you eventually 
. And now he's got a lot to answer for, like up to life in prison and stuff 
, but I guess you can't fool everyone for long. 180 days in prison won't be enough for what he did though 
. And now Abbey's going to spend years in prison for it. It's just sad that Dustin Kjersem's girlfriend had to find his body like that 
. It's crazy how Abbey tried to manipulate the situation by setting up his own campsite and taking stuff back, like he thought he could cover his tracks