The violent death of a Montana man at a remote campsite was probably at the hands of another human and not a grizzly mauling as first reported, authorities say.
Belgrade-Bozeman, Montana-area resident Dustin Kjersem, 35, was last seen alive on the afternoon of Oct. 10, as he was headed to go camping in a remote spot near Big Sky, Montana.
He was evidently killed sometime between late Oct. 10 and early Saturday, according to the Gallatin County, Montana, Sheriff’s Office.
Found Dead In His Tent
A friend of Kjersem who had planned to meet him at the campsite discovered his body at about 10 a.m. Saturday in Kjersem’s tent, according to the sheriff’s office.
The campsite was about 2.5 miles up the Moose Creek trail. The friend called 911 and reported Kjersem’s death as a fatal bear mauling, the sheriff’s office stated.
Agents from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) investigated the scene, but found no fresh evidence of bear activity.
Sheriff Dan Springer stated Wednesday that the case is now being investigated as a suspected murder and said that Kjersem had been “brutally killed at his campsite.”
An autopsy report indicated that Kjersem had suffered “multiple chop wounds.”
Loved Ones Launch Campaign
Authorities are seeking tips from anybody who might have seen Kjersem’s pickup during the time frame of his suspected murder. It’s a black 2013 Ford F-150, with a black topper and a silver aluminum ladder rack.
A request for further comment to the sheriff’s office wasn’t returned.
Meanwhile, friends and family of Kjermen are grieving his loss, and set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of his funeral and raise money for his children. The campaign page doesn’t specify how many children he had or their ages.
Lots Of Grizzlies In The Area
The Big Sky area of Montana is prime bear habitat and has a robust grizzly population, regional FWP spokesman Morgan Jacobsen told Cowboy State Daily.
However, there apparently wasn’t a bear at Kjersem’s campsite during the timeframe in question.
“We did have staff who visited the scene on Saturday,” he said. “We did not find any evidence of recent bear activity at that site. No tracks, no scat, no hair.”
FWP was involved in the initial investigation, but the sheriff’s office has since taken the lead, Jacobsen said.
“At this point, it’s unlikely that it was a bear attack,” he said. “We can’t say for 100$ sure that it wasn’t a bear attack, but it’s highly unlikely.”
Dustin Kjersem, 35, right, was found dead in his tent at about 10 a.m. Saturday in a remote campsite near Big Sky, Montana. It was initially thought that he was fatally mauled by a grizzly, but now authorities suspect that he was murdered. (GoFundMe) 
Dustin Kjersem, 35, was found dead in his tent at about 10 a.m. Saturday in a remote campsite near Big Sky, Montana. It was initially thought that he was fatally mauled by a grizzly, but now authorities suspect that he was murdered. (Courtesy of Gallatin County, Mont., Sheriff’s Office) 
This black 2013 Ford F-150, with a black topper and a silver aluminum ladder rack, was owned by Montana Resident Dustin Kjersem, 35. He was found dead Saturday in his tent near Big Sky, Montana, and authorities are asking for information from anyone who might have seen the truck between the afternoon of Oct. 10 and Saturday morning. (Courtesy of Gallatin County, Mont., Sheriff’s Office)
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
