Major new details have surfaced in the murder of a Montana man, initially mistaken for a bear attack. Police have arrested a suspect in the brutal slaying.
They managed to extract DNA from a nearby beer can. That led them to a suspect, who confessed to killing the man. Authorities arrested 41-year-old Daren Christopher Abbey for the crime. He said that he killed Dustin Kjersem in a "chance encounter," having not previously met the man. Authorities first found his body on October 12 after Kjersem's girlfriend initially believed a bear attacked him.
However, an autopsy showed that someone had chopped the Montana man multiple times. They found his body in his tent. Abbey faces life in prison if convicted. Kjersem had been camping in the area on October 10. He planned to pick up his girlfriend the next night, but he never showed up. She later found his body at the campsite.
Montana Man Murdered, Staged Like Bear Attack
Authorities found the beer can at the site. Kjersem had shared a beer with his murderer, offering him a drink when Abbey came across his camp. In return for his hospitality, Kjersem was violently assaulted. Abbey attacked him with a piece of wood, a screwdriver, and finally an axe. Abbey later returned the next day to stage the crime scene.
"This appears to be a heinous crime committed by an individual who had no regard for the life of Dustin Kjersem,'" said Sheriff Springer. Previously, Abbey had some trouble with the law. He had a DUI. Following the grisly murder, some campers expressed reservations about camping in Montana. They weren't scared of bears but of people sadly.
Mark Genito, a former backcountry ranger in Yellowstone, said the real threat was humans.
"Most of the things that are on four legs in the wilderness are more afraid of us than we are of them. And the biggest threat to your safety is always mankind — is your fellow human, sadly," he said.
It's important to be wary of strangers and always check your surroundings. Sadly, for this Montana man, his hospitality led to his death. That's ultimately a real tragedy.
