A Montana camper’s death was reported as a bear attack, but what investigators found on a beer can exposed the horrifying truth

A man in Montana has been found guilty of killing Dustin Kjersem at a campsite near Big Sky in October 2024. Daren Christopher Abbey was convicted after a jury heard evidence about the violent attack that first seemed like something else entirely.

According to Fox News, when Kjersem’s girlfriend and a friend came to the campsite, they found him dead in his tent. They thought a bear had killed him and told police about it. But when wildlife experts checked the area, they could not find any signs that a bear or other animal had been there. That is when police started looking at it as a murder case.

Police were able to connect Abbey to what happened because they found his DNA on a beer can in the tent. This turned out to be the key piece of proof that tied him to the killing. Abbey had used an axe, a piece of wood, and a screwdriver to attack Kjersem. When police talked to Abbey, he said he only fought back because Kjersem came at him first. But police found many problems with his story, especially when they looked at all the injuries Kjersem had from the attack.

He did not just kill someone, he tried to hide it

After killing Kjersem, Abbey took things from the campsite. He grabbed the cooler, some guns, and the cellphones. He also tried to hide proof of what he had done. Because of this, he was charged with murder and with messing with evidence.

The trial went on for six days. Abbey decided not to speak in court to defend himself. The jury said he was guilty of both charges. His lawyer, Sarah Kottke, talked about how hard the case was. “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.

Even though Abbey could have gotten the death penalty for these crimes in Montana, the prosecutors said they would not ask for it. Jack Veil from the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office told reporters about this decision. Abbey will find out his sentence on December 30. His lawyer said he might appeal after that happens.

Papers from the county and the Department of Corrections showed that Abbey had been part of white supremacist groups. He also had tattoos of a swastika and an iron cross. This case shows how something small like DNA on a beer can can help solve a crime that first looked like an accident with a wild animal.

What everyone thought was a bear attack turned out to be murder. Similar cases in courtrooms have shown how police work can uncover what really happened.