Montana man convicted of murder in campsite killing

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BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A jury has found a man with links to white supremacists guilty of murder in a brutal killing at a southwestern Montana campsite last year that was initially reported as a possible bear attack.

Daren Christopher Abbey attacked Dustin Kjersem with a block of wood, an axe and a screwdriver after they met at Kjersem's campsite near Big Sky, Montana, in October 2024, according to prosecutors.

The defendant later admitted to taking Kjersem's guns, cooler, cellphones and other belongings and concealing evidence.

Abbey was linked to the murder scene by DNA found on a beer can inside the tent. He claimed the killing was in self-defense after Kjersem threatened him. Authorities said there were inconsistencies in his story, and pointed to multiple chop wounds in the attack.

The victim’s girlfriend and another friend found his body and reported it as a possible bear attack. It turned into a homicide investigation after wildlife agents found no sign of a bear in the area.

Kjersem had two children and worked as a self-employed contractor, building homes and learning other trades, according to his sister. Abbey told authorities that he arrived at the campsite intending to stay the night and was welcomed by Kjersem, who didn't know him, according to Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer.

Following a six-day trial the jury found Abbey guilty on Monday of deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence, court records show. He did not testify during the trial.

Abbey's defense attorney, Sarah Kottke, said Wednesday that he will decide whether to appeal after he’s sentenced on Dec. 30 before state District Judge Peter Ohman.

“This was a tough case and asserting an affirmative defense comes with multiple hurdles, especially when it happens in such a remote area with no witnesses to the events that took place,” Kottke said in an email.

An inmate information document from Gallatin County last year said the defendant listed an organizational affiliation with white supremacists. State Department of Corrections records said his tattoos included an iron cross with a swastika.

Deliberate homicide is a capital offense in Montana but prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in the case, said Jack Veil with the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office.