GALLATIN CANYON, Montana — The campsite at Moose Creek, nestled in the Custer Gallatin National Forest near Big Sky, Montana, should have been a peaceful retreat.
Dustin Kjersem, a 35-year-old from Belgrade, Montana, had set up an elaborate camp there on Oct. 10, 2024, something the Gallatin County Sheriff would later describe as "a wall tent, complete with a woodstove, beds, lamps and multiple other items."
He planned to return the next day to bring his girlfriend to share in the outdoor experience.
Instead, the campsite became the scene of a brutal murder so savage that those who discovered Kjersem's body two days later believed he had been mauled by a bear.
On Monday, after a six-day trial and more than three hours of deliberation, a Gallatin County jury found Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, guilty of deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence in Kjersem's death.
The verdict ended a case that had initially sent wildlife agents scrambling to find signs of a predatory bear, only to uncover something far more sinister: a chance encounter between two men that ended in horrific violence.
The Discovery
When Kjersem didn't arrive as planned on Oct. 11 to pick up his girlfriend, she grew concerned. The next day, she and a friend drove to the Moose Creek campsite to check on him.
On the ride up Gallatin Canyon, there was fall color in the trees and trout anglers working the waters of the Gallatin River. It’s the same scenic stretch used as a backdrop for the film “A River Runs Through It.”
Moose Creek is one of several tributaries to the Gallatin and a popular area to camp.
When Kjersem’s girlfriend arrived, what she found inside his tent was so horrifying, the injuries so severe, she immediately reported it as a bear attack.
According to court documents and testimony, Kjersem had suffered injuries to his head, neck and face that appeared to be "chop wounds."
Killer At Large
While recreationists in the Big Sky-Bozeman area continued to nervously spend time in Gallatin Canyon, investigators analyzed the evidence found at the scene.
There were beer cans and shot glasses left behind. These seemingly mundane items would prove crucial — DNA testing on one beer can matched two previous criminal offenders: Daren Abbey and his twin brother, Dustin Abbey.
Since Dustin Abbey was incarcerated at the time of the murder, so investigators focused on Daren, who was known to work in Big Sky, while maintaining a residence in Basin, Montana.
Then, when Abbey was detained on a probation violation and interviewed, he confessed to the killing — but claimed self-defense.
Abbey’s account, as presented to investigators and later in court, went like this: He had been looking for a place to camp that Thursday night and had planned on that particular site.
When he approached and found it occupied, Kjersem welcomed him and offered him a beer.
Then, according to Abbey's confession, something went wrong. He told investigators he struck Kjersem on the head with a piece of firewood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver, and hit his face with an ax.
The Trial
The prosecution, led by Assistant Attorneys General Daniel M. Guzynski and John F. Nesbitt, painted a picture of excessive violence that went far beyond any claim of self-defense.
During closing arguments, the prosecutor made his case with dramatic effect, at one point waving an ax in the courtroom.
"He actually said in his interview he was aiming for his head, that his aim was accurate and it was hard and it was powerful," the prosecutor told the jury, emphasizing Abbey's own admissions about the deliberate nature of his actions.
The prosecution also presented photos showing Abbey posing with guns he had stolen from Kjersem after the murder — weapons that Kjersem had brought to his campsite for protection in the wilderness.
Abbey had also taken Kjersem's cooler, cellphone and other belongings, removing items that had his fingerprints on them in an attempt to conceal evidence.
In a poignant moment, the prosecutor reminded the jury that Nov. 10 would have been Kjersem's 36th birthday, asking them to "envision what Dustin may have been doing today."
The Defense
Abbey's defense attorney, Sarah Kottke, faced what she would later call "a tough case."
The defense strategy centered on two main arguments: that Abbey had acted in self-defense when Kjersem allegedly threatened him and his dog with a gun, and that the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office had done a poor job investigating and handling evidence.
"When can we the people trust our law enforcement to do their job correctly?" the defense asked the jury during closing arguments, attempting to cast doubt on the investigation's integrity.
Kottke acknowledged the challenges of "asserting an affirmative defense… especially when it happens in such a remote area with no witnesses to the events that took place."
Abbey did not testify during the trial.
The Verdict
The jury rejected the self-defense claim, finding Abbey guilty on both counts. The multiple chop wounds, the use of three different weapons, Abbey's attempts to conceal evidence, and his theft of the victim's property all pointed to something far more calculated than a momentary act of self-defense.
Court records revealed another troubling dimension to the case. According to an inmate information document from Gallatin County, Abbey had listed an organizational affiliation with white supremacists. State Department of Corrections records indicated his tattoos included "an iron cross with a swastika."
Sheriff Springer emphasized that the killing appeared to be "a chance encounter" with "no prior connection between our victim and our suspect." He characterized it as "a heinous crime committed by an individual who had no regard for the life of Dustin Kjersem."
The Aftermath
Abbey faces sentencing on Dec. 30. While deliberate homicide is a capital offense in Montana, the Gallatin County Attorney's Office confirmed that the state will not seek the death penalty.
Daren Abbey's criminal record reveals a troubling pattern of violent confrontations with law enforcement dating back to 2009.
In Arizona that year, Abbey and his twin brother were pulled over in what began as a routine traffic stop but quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. When officers attempted to detain them, both men fled on foot, according to court records.
After being apprehended, Abbey and his brother spaton the arresting officers and violently resisted arrest, leading to two felony convictions for aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Two years later in Idaho, Abbey's propensity for racially motivated violence became evident in an incident at a local bar. According to crime reports, Abbey confronted another patron and demanded he leave the establishment.
When the man complied and exited the bar, Abbey followed him outside and began making what investigators described as "racially heated comments."
The verbal confrontation quickly turned physical, resulting in a fight between the two men.
A local newspaper reported, “Abbey got knocked out with one punch by a black man on July 3, after telling the man he didn't belong inside J.D.'s bar or in Bayview at all because of the color of his skin.”
If Abbey had noticed the man’s T-shirt, he would have seen it read, “Spokane Boxing Club Champion.”
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
