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Suspect in ‘heinous’ Big Sky camper murder pleads not guilty – Crime Online

A man accused of murdering a Montana father and ardent outdoorsman pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday after allegedly claiming self-defense in his confession to police.

Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, pleaded not guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in the death of camper Dustin Kjersem, 35, last October in Big Sky, Montana. Abbey claims he acted in self-defense.

According to Fox News Digital, Abbey appeared in court on Tuesday and maintained his not guilty plea while claiming self-defense in his confession to the “heinous” murder. The outlet confirmed with the Gallatin County District Attorney’s Office and Abbey’s defense team that he did indeed claim self-defense.

USNew.com reports that Abbey told District Judge Peter Ohman, “I definitely plead not guilty. Dustin Kjersem tried to kill me.” However, court documents noted that Abbey’s lack of defensive injuries was inconsistent with a self-defense claim.

According to court documents, Abbey claimed that “Kjersem stated he wanted to shoot his dog and then kill him.” The two men reportedly got into an argument when Kjersem allegedly confronted Abbey, Fox News Digital reported.

As CrimeOnline originally reported, Kjersem traveled to Gallatin County on Oct. 10 to set up camp and planned to return to town the next day to pick up his girlfriend after work so they could spend the weekend camping. When he didn’t arrive on Friday, his girlfriend became worried and drove with a friend to the campsite on Saturday morning, where they found Kjersem dead.

Sheriff Dan Springer stated that Abbey ultimately confessed to the murder. Abbey claimed he had planned to camp at the same location, but found Kjersem already there. He said Kjersem “welcomed” him and even offered him a beer.

Kjersem was found fatally beaten and stabbed in his tent. “At some point, this individual struck Dustin Kjersem with a piece of solid wood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver, and finally struck him with an ax,” Sheriff Springer said.

The sheriff added that Abbey took items from the campsite that he had touched and then returned on Friday to take more items. “This is the behavior of a guilty man who thought he could get away with murder,” Springer explained.

According to court documents, Abbey washed the ax and screwdriver in the creek. He returned to the campsite to retrieve a hat he had left behind and tried to make sure there were “no loose ends,” according to Fox News Digital.

According to Fox News Digital, a bond hearing is scheduled for a later date.

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(Feature Photo: Daren Christopher Abbey/Montana Department of Corrections)

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