Dustin Kjersem (Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office).
Authorities in Montana have a person in custody they believe murdered a man found dead with “chop wounds” inside a tent in a killing initially reported as a bear attack.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday in a Facebook post that a suspect in the slaying of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem is in jail on unrelated charges. Deputies did not name the suspect and said charges related to the murder are forthcoming.
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Kjersem was last seen alive the afternoon of Oct. 10. He was camping in the Moose Creek canyon area and slated to meet up with friends on Oct. 11, said Sheriff Dan Springer. When he didn’t show up, his friends went looking for him. They found his tent shortly after 10 a.m. on Oct. 12 about 2.5 miles up Moose Creek Road. They looked inside, and found his mutilated body, Springer said. The caller indicated that Kjersem may have been the victim of a bear attack.
But when a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agent investigated, he saw no bear activity around the scene. Detectives determined Kjersem died of “chop wounds” and was the victim of a homicide, Springer told reporters. Kjersem was well prepared for camping with a tent and other necessary equipment, according to Springer. While the area is remote, it is popular with hikers and campers, authorities say.
As investigators searched for a suspect, deputies released photos of the victim’s truck, along with a Yeti cooler and an ax. They did not say whether the axe was the murder weapon. After the arrest, the suspect led cops to the evidence “identified in prior press releases.”
The homicide put the community on edge.
“The investigation into this homicide continues. It is believed the suspect acted alone and there is no longer a threat to the community. Further details and charges are forthcoming, but it is important for this community to know they are safe to resume their outdoor activities,” deputies wrote Wednesday.
Kjersem’s sister Jillian Price said at the press conference that her brother was a hardworking and skilled tradesman who built and remodeled houses.
“We lost our brother, our son, our uncle, our best friend in the most unimaginable way,” she said. “He was a loving, helpful and adorning father who in no way deserved this.”
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