Montana man charged with murder in brutal campground killing

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A 41-year-old Montana man was charged with murder Friday in a brutal slaying at a remote campsite that had been initially reported as a possible bear mauling by people who found the victim’s body.

The suspect allegedly told authorities that he arrived at the campsite northeast of Big Sky, Montana, on Oct. 10 intending to stay the night but found it occupied by 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem.

Kjersem, who didn’t know the suspect, welcomed him to the campsite and offered him a beer, according to Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer.

But sometime later the suspect driven by an unknown motive hit Kjersem with a piece of wood, stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver and hit him with an axe, Springer said.

The victim’s girlfriend and another friend found his body Oct. 12 and reported it as a possible bear attack. It turned into a homicide investigation after wildlife agents found no sign of a bear in the area.

After DNA found on a beer can from the camp site was matched with the suspect’s DNA, he was tracked down this week and arrested in Butte, Montana, Springer said.

He was being held on $1.5 million bail, according to sheriff’s department records.