DNA taken from a discarded beer can has led to the arrest of a person being charged with the homicide of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem whereas he was tenting. Gallatin County police recognized the suspect as Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, as we speak in a press convention.
Kjersem had arrange a campsite on Thursday, Oct. 10, close to Butte, Mont. Based on police, Abbey had meant to remain on the identical campsite that night. As he approached, he realized that Kjersem was already settled in there. Kjersem welcomed Abbey into the campsite and even supplied him a beer.
Police have no idea the main points of what occurred subsequent regardless of having interrogated Abbey. However sooner or later, he struck Kjersem with a stable piece of wooden, stabbed him within the neck with a screwdriver, after which hit him with an axe.
Kjersem had been planning on driving into city on Friday to select his girlfriend up and return to the location for the weekend. When he didn’t present up, she turned apprehensive. Saturday morning, she and a pal drove to the campsite and found Kjersem’s deceased physique contained in the tent.
“By all accounts, this murder seems to be an opportunity encounter,” Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer stated on the press convention. “There doesn’t seem like any connection between our sufferer and our suspect.”
Police stated that Abbey eliminated objects from the location that he believed might join him with the crime. They stated he additionally returned on Friday to take away extra objects.
“That is the habits of a responsible topic who thought he might get away with homicide,” Springer stated.
No Motives But Recognized
Regardless of Abbey’s efforts to cover proof of his crime, he left the beer can he’d drunk from on the scene. Police collected it and have been in a position to establish him by means of the Mixed DNA Index System (CODIS).
The Butte Civil Sheriff’s workplace and the Montana Division of Corrections, Probation, and Parole Officers labored with Gallatin County sheriffs to trace Abbey down. On October 26, they found that he was nonetheless within the Butte space.
Police arrested him as he was leaving an area institution. He was taken into custody and interviewed by detectives, at which level he confessed to Kjersem’s homicide.
Nonetheless, after interviewing Abbey, the police don’t perceive the motive behind this crime. Investigators stated they’re nonetheless attempting to piece collectively every little thing they will to construct a greater image of the occasions that night.
Abbey is at the moment in custody in Butte, Mont.
Dustin Kjersem: ‘A Montana Boy’
Kjersem was well-known and beloved within the Butte neighborhood he lived in. He was an avid outdoorsman and a talented tradesman.
Jillian Value, Kjersem’s sister, advised Bozeman Day by day Chronicle, “He cherished the outside. He cherished to fish, he cherished to hunt, he was an incredible snowboarder. He was simply, he was a Montana boy.”
Value stated she had by no means seen an grownup man spend a lot time doing arts and crafts together with his youngsters. His mates stated he was easygoing, simple to get together with, and enjoyable to be round. When occurring tenting journeys, it wasn’t unusual for him to go out early and set the location up for everybody earlier than they obtained there, his pal, Chris Anderson, advised the Bozeman Day by day Chronicle.
Kjersem’s household has created a GoFundMe titled, “Assist Dustin Kjersem’s youngsters by means of this tragic loss.” The funds intention to cowl funeral bills and assist look after his youngsters now and into the long run.
“Born and raised within the Gallatin Valley, Dustin was dearly cherished by so many on this neighborhood,” the GoFundMe web page reads. “He was a loving, useful, and adoring father.”
The marketing campaign has raised $30,000+ up to now. Should you’d prefer to contribute, go to the GoFundMe webpage.
