A Montana jury has found Daren Christopher Abbey guilty of deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence after he tried to convince investigators that the brutal killing of a campsite acquaintance was actually a bear attack. This tragic story centers on the murder of Dustin Kjersem, who was killed at his campsite near Big Sky, Montana, in October 2024. Abbey and Kjersem had met up at the remote location, and what followed was a vicious attack. When Kjersem’s girlfriend and a friend later discovered his body, they initially reported the scene to authorities as a possible bear mauling. You’d think if you were going to concoct a story that outlandish, you’d be meticulous about cleaning up, but Abbey made a massive, fatal mistake. Investigators were able to link him directly to the scene because his DNA was found on a beer can located inside Kjersem’s tent. His own beer turned him in Abbey claimed that the killing was done in self-defense after Kjersem allegedly attacked him. However, authorities immediately spotted numerous inconsistencies in his version of events. Plus, wildlife agents quickly ruled out the bear theory after finding absolutely no signs of an animal in the area. When you look at the evidence, it’s clear this wasn’t some wilderness accident. This was a targeted, grisly assault. The tools used in the attack were horrifyingly low-tech and brutal. Abbey fatally attacked Kjersem with a block of wood, a screwdriver, and an axe, causing multiple chop wounds. It’s hard to imagine the level of violence involved here, but the physical evidence definitely contradicted the self-defense story Abbey was pushing. GRUESOME CAMPSITE KILLING | https://t.co/lezLre2Mv6A Montana man was convicted of murder in connection with a death at a Montana campsite that was initially reported as a possible bear mauling. pic.twitter.com/T3Yz6XSrkd— FOX SA (@KABBFOX29) November 13, 2025 Beyond the actual murder, Abbey later admitted to stealing Kjersem’s cellphones, cooler, and guns. He also confessed to concealing other evidence after the attack, leading to the tampering conviction. Stealing the victim’s belongings certainly doesn’t help your case when you’re trying to argue that you acted only in self-preservation. The six-day trial concluded with the jury finding Abbey guilty on both counts. Interestingly, although deliberate homicide constitutes a capital offense in Montana, prosecutors won’t be seeking the death penalty in this case, according to Jack Veil with the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office. Abbey himself chose not to take the stand during the trial to testify in his own defense. Abbey’s defense attorney, Sarah Kottke, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. She pointed out that trying to assert an affirmative defense is always tough, especially when the crime happens in such a remote place. Kottke reportedly noted, “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.” Unfortunately, Abbey also has a troubling background. According to records from the State Department of Corrections and the Gallatin County inmate information document, Abbey has ties to a White supremacist organization. He even has tattoos of a swastika and an iron cross. Abbey is currently scheduled to be sentenced on December 30.