‘Chance encounter’ in wilderness led to man murdering victim with piece of wood, screw driver and an ax inside tent: Cops

Daren Abbey and Dustin Kjersem

Left: Daren Abbey (Montana Department of Corrections). Right: Dustin Kjersem (Gallatin Sheriff’s Office).

Cops arrested a 41-year-old man for murdering a random victim who had invited him in his tent to have a beer out in the Montana wilderness.

Daren Christopher Abbey is facing a deliberate homicide charge along with two counts of tampering with evidence in the death of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem. According to Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer, Abbey confessed to detectives to murdering Kjersem who was camping Oct. 10 in the Moose Creek canyon area. Kjersem was planning to pick up his girlfriend the next day for a weekend of camping. He set up a walled tent with beds, a wood stove, lamps and other supplies.

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During the evening of Oct. 10, Abbey arrived at the area with the intention of camping as well, Springer said.

“As he approached the site he realized someone was staying there. He stated Dustin welcomed him to the campsite and offered him a beer,” Springer said. “At some point, this individual struck Dustin Kjersem with a piece of solid wood, stabbed him in the neck with a screw driver and ultimately hit him with the ax.”

Abbey allegedly then removed several items from the campsite he thought he touched, including a cooler, rifle and the axe. Bozeman CBS affiliate KBZK, citing court documents, said Abbey washed off the ax and screwdriver in a nearby creek. He also reportedly returned to the scene of the crime the next day to retrieve his hat.

But one item Abbey did not remove: the beer can from which he drank, Springer said. Detectives submitted the can to the Montana State Police Crime lab. On Oct. 25, it came back as a DNA hit to Abbey. The next day cops took Abbey into custody in the Butte area.

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