Arrest Made - Dustin Kjersem, 35, killed while camping, 911 caller thought bear attack, sheriff says murder, Oct. 12, 2024

[Niner]

Gallatin County murder trial set for November

Jury selection is approaching in a high-profile Gallatin County murder case.Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, appeared in court Tuesday for an omnibus hearing. His t

nbcmontana.com

Oct. 22, 2025

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Jury selection is approaching in a high-profile Gallatin County murder case.

Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, appeared in court Tuesday for an omnibus hearing. His trial is scheduled to begin in early November. Attorneys discussed jury selection, scheduling, and other logistics ahead of the proceedings.



I have 11/3/25 as his trial starting.

 

[Niner]

@georgiajean - is that correct? Trial starts on 11/3/25 @ 9am? TIA!

 

[Spectrix]

@georgiajean - is that correct? Trial starts on 11/3/25 @ 9am? TIA!

From what I can find, he was scheduled for an omnibus hearing at 1:30 p.m. yesterday (October 21) at the Gallatin County Law and Justice Center.
His trial is supposedly scheduled to start November 3, 2025 at 9am and there doesn't appear to have been any update to that after yesterday's hearing.
Pretty quick to trial all things considered.

This fellow has a rather long rap sheet.
In California, Abbey was convicted of obstructing an investigation and two counts of DUI. In Nevada, he was convicted of DUI, battery, and possessing a stolen vehicle. He also has DUI convictions in Utah and Montana – one in each state. In Arizona, Abbey has been convicted of aggravated assault on a peace officer. He has a conviction of malicious harassment in Idaho.

At the time of his arrest on Oct. 31, 2024, he was on supervised release with the Montana state prison system. As of Aug. 17, he was accused of violating parole and could not be released from jail on that account even if he did pay the $1.5 million bond.

Sauce

 

[Niner]

Gallatin County murder trial set for November

Jury selection is approaching in a high-profile Gallatin County murder case.Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, appeared in court Tuesday for an omnibus hearing. His t

nbcmontana.com

Oct. 22, 2025

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Jury selection is approaching in a high-profile Gallatin County murder case.

Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, appeared in court Tuesday for an omnibus hearing. His trial is scheduled to begin in early November. Attorneys discussed jury selection, scheduling, and other logistics ahead of the proceedings.



I have 11/3/25 as his trial starting.

His trial is supposedly scheduled to start November 3, 2025 at 9am and there doesn't appear to have been any update to that after yesterday's hearing.

You might have missed my post on yesterday's hearing above - so I quoted here. Looks trial is still scheduled on 11/3.

 

[georgiajean]

This is what is on the FullCourt info for Gallatin Co MT. https://dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov/fullcourtweb/start.do
Jury begins Nov 3, so next Wed, at 9am.

 

[RedHaus]

This is what is on the FullCourt info for Gallatin Co MT. https://dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov/fullcourtweb/start.do
Jury begins Nov 3, so next Wed, at 9am.

View attachment 622080

Thanks, @georgiajean.

Do we know if this trial will be covered by live TV starting Wednesday, 11/5 at 9am MT (11am ET; 8am PT) per your notes?

And if so, does anyone know of a link to that live coverage?

 

[Niner]

Monday, Nov. 3rd:
*Trial set to begin with Jury Selection (@ 9am MT) - MT - *Dustin Mitchell Kjersem (36) was last seen on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 & was found dead in his tent on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 along Moose Creek Road north of Big Sky, MT. - *Daren Christopher Abbey (41) arrested 10/24/24 (unrelated charges [parole violation]), charged (11/1/24) & arraigned (11/26/24) with deliberate homicide & 2 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Originally bond denied. Bond set at $1.5M (11/1/24). Plead not guilty (11/26/24) Gallatin County
Speedy trial was to begin on 6/18/25 continued on 11/3/25 with jury selection.
18th Judicial District Court Judge Peter B. Ohman presiding. DA Daniel Guzynski. Defense attorney Sarah Kottke.
Case & Court info from 10/25/24 thru 2/25/25 reference post #559 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...heriff-says-murder-oct-12-2024.726290/page-28
8/12/25 Update: On Tuesday, August 12, The Gallatin County Commission approved County Attorney Audrey Cromwell’s request to hand over two deliberate homicide cases to the Department of Justice. The cases include Chris Foiles, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Megan Stedman, in 2023 in the Bozeman Walmart parking lot. And, Daren Abbey, who is charged with the brutal murder of Dustin Kjersem at a campsite near Big Sky in 2024. The Attorney General's Office confirmed to MTN that having the Prosecution Services Bureau assist with these types of cases is "relatively standard" but that they can only do so when the county attorney's office asks for their help directly. Final pretrial conference hearing on 10/21/25 @ 1:30pm.
10/21/25 Update: Abbey appeared in court Tuesday for an omnibus hearing. His trial is scheduled to begin on 11/3/25 with jury selection. Attorneys discussed jury selection, scheduling & other logistics ahead of the proceedings.

 

[mickey2942]

bozemandailychronicle.com | Empowering the community

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle is the newspaper of record for Bozeman and southwest Montana -- Empowering the Community.

www.bozemandailychronicle.com

With a trial this big coming up, crickets in the local news?! Hmmm

 

[Niner]

bozemandailychronicle.com | Empowering the community

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle is the newspaper of record for Bozeman and southwest Montana -- Empowering the Community.

www.bozemandailychronicle.com

With a trial this big coming up, crickets in the local news?! Hmmm

Yes - I too noticed not too much info on this case in articles. I tried...

 

[mickey2942]

This guy doesn't have a chance with his joke of Not Guilty, by Self Defense. He is a skin head with Nazi tattoos. That will go over like a lead balloon in Gallatin county, one of the most liberal counties in the State of Montana.

And local people had nothing but nice things to say about Dustin Kjersem. The few people who met Daren Abbey didn't have anything good to say about him.

But they did jury selection today. Here is a blurb by the local news station.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, Nov. 4th:
*Trial continues with Jury Selection (Day 2) (@ 9am MT) - MT - *Dustin Mitchell Kjersem (36) was last seen on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 & was found dead in his tent on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 along Moose Creek Road north of Big Sky, MT. - *Daren Christopher Abbey (41) arrested 10/24/24 (unrelated charges [parole violation]), charged (11/1/24) & arraigned (11/26/24) with deliberate homicide & 2 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Originally bond denied. Bond set at $1.5M (11/1/24). Plead not guilty (11/26/24) Gallatin County
Speedy trial began on 11/3/25 with jury selection.
18th Judicial District Court Judge Peter B. Ohman presiding. DA Daniel Guzynski. Defense attorney Sarah Kottke.
Case & Court info from 10/25/24 thru 10/21/25 reference post #567 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...heriff-says-murder-oct-12-2024.726290/page-29
11/3/25 Monday, Trial with Jury Selection (Day 1): No info yet. Jury selection continues on Tuesday, 11/4/25.

 

[mickey2942]

Opening arguments and witness testimony in Daren Abbey trial begins

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The trial of Daren Abbey, charged with deliberate homicide in the 2024 murder of Dustin Kjersem in the Moose Creek Campground area, continued with opening arguments and

www.montanarightnow.com

In opening arguments, the defense puts forth that Abbey was sleeping in a tent with Kjersem, and Abbey's dog got the inflatable bed dirty, so Kjersem pulled a gun out, and threatened Abbey.

Abbey had to protect himself and ended up killing Kjersem. And he wiped fingerprints off of items, as he was afraid he would be arrested due to his prison record.

Kjersem's girlfriend puts forth that Kjersem was not like that with her dog, even when he was dirty.

 

[mickey2942]

Montana man pleads not guilty, claims self-defense in death

Kjersem's death in October was initially reported as a bear attack after his girlfriend found his body in a tent south of Bozeman near Big Sky on Oct. 12.

bonnercountydailybee.com

Bringing this forward, when Abbey was arrested.

 

[Niner]

Opening arguments and witness testimony in Daren Abbey trial begins

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The trial of Daren Abbey, charged with deliberate homicide in the 2024 murder of Dustin Kjersem in the Moose Creek Campground area, continued with opening arguments and

www.montanarightnow.com

In opening arguments, the defense puts forth that Abbey was sleeping in a tent with Kjersem, and Abbey's dog got the inflatable bed dirty, so Kjersem pulled a gun out, and threatened Abbey.

Abbey had to protect himself and ended up killing Kjersem. And he wiped fingerprints off of items, as he was afraid he would be arrested due to his prison record.

Kjersem's girlfriend puts forth that Kjersem was not like that with her dog, even when he was dirty.

Unfortunately I have no access to this article. Could you list the state witnesses for me? And the names of attorneys for opening statements? TIA!

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, Nov. 5th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (@ 9am MT) - MT - *Dustin Mitchell Kjersem (36) was last seen on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 & was found dead in his tent on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 along Moose Creek Road north of Big Sky, MT. - *Daren Christopher Abbey (41) arrested 10/24/24 (unrelated charges [parole violation]), charged (11/1/24) & arraigned (11/26/24) with deliberate homicide & 2 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Originally bond denied. Bond set at $1.5M (11/1/24). Plead not guilty (11/26/24) Gallatin County
Speedy trial began on 11/3/25 with jury selection & ended 11/3/25.
Trial began on 11/4/25. [thru 11/14/25]
18th Judicial District Court Judge Peter B. Ohman presiding. DA Daniel Guzynski. Defense attorney Sarah Kottke.
Case & Court info from 10/25/24 thru 10/21/25 & Jury Selection (11/3/25) reference post #571 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...heriff-says-murder-oct-12-2024.726290/page-29
11/4/25 Tuesday, Trial Day 1: Opening statements & witness by State. (no info on witnesses. No other info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 11/5/25.

 

[mickey2942]

Unfortunately I have no access to this article. Could you list the state witnesses for me? And the names of attorneys for opening statements? TIA!

Kjersem’s older sister Jillian Price, best friend Matthew Kebschull, and girlfriend Natalie Holloway also testified, focusing on Kjersem’s character and demeanor.

That is the list of witnesses who have testified so far.

The article did not name the attorneys.

 

[Niner]

Kjersem’s older sister Jillian Price, best friend Matthew Kebschull, and girlfriend Natalie Holloway also testified, focusing on Kjersem’s character and demeanor.

That is the list of witnesses who have testified so far.

The article did not name the attorneys.

Thanks a bunch! I hall use the attorneys' names that I have on my notes. Again THANKS!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Montana man pleads not guilty, claims self-defense in death

Kjersem's death in October was initially reported as a bear attack after his girlfriend found his body in a tent south of Bozeman near Big Sky on Oct. 12.

bonnercountydailybee.com

Bringing this forward, when Abbey was arrested.

I had not known of this case... so thanks for posting the earlier article.

Abbey.... what a guy. eh?

 

[mickey2942]

I had not known of this case... so thanks for posting the earlier article.

Abbey.... what a guy. eh?

I am really surprised that there is not more local coverage on this case. Barely any blurbs about it. Maybe they don't want to give Abbey any reasons for appeal? He wanted a change of venue. But really, where in Montana is this guy gonna not be known about...

I don't like that all we have is Abbey's story. We don't know if anything he says is true. For all we know, he attacked Kjersem, and drank his beer and stole his stuff.

 

[RedHaus]

DBM - replied to wrong post!