“Time TV”
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The final time anybody heard from Dustin Kjersem was the afternoon of October 10, when he climbed into his black Ford F-150 and headed to a distant campsite within the Montana wilderness.
He had made plans to satisfy a buddy the subsequent day for a weekend of tenting and different out of doors actions. When he didn’t present up, his buddy went searching for him — and made a ugly discovery.
On Saturday morning, the buddy known as 911 and mentioned he’d discovered Kjersem’s bloodied physique in a tent about two-and-a-half miles up Moose Creek Street, east of Large Sky. He informed the dispatcher that Kjersem gave the impression to be a sufferer of a bear assault.
However authorities at the moment are saying they suppose Kjersem was murdered.
An post-mortem decided the 35-year-old suffered “a number of chop wounds,” sheriff’s deputies say. They usually’re urging anybody with data to come back ahead.
“This can be a murder, and we’re working all hours of the day and evening to seek out his killer,” Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer mentioned at a information convention Wednesday.
“He was brutally killed at his campsite. And we’d like your assist,” Springer added. “So for those who’re out within the woods, it is advisable to stay vigilant.”
Kjersem was a gifted builder and hard-working handyman who might pour foundations, body homes and set up counter tops, mentioned his sister, Jillian Worth.
She implored anybody with data to assist discover her sibling’s killer.
“This weekend, we misplaced our brother, our son, our uncle, our greatest buddy and our dad in probably the most unimaginable means,” she mentioned on the information convention, her voice cracking. “He was a loving, useful and adoring father who by no means deserved this.”
Although distant, the Moose Creek space is a well-liked spot amongst hunters and campers. Kjersem’s physique was found on US Forest Service land east of Freeway 191, authorities mentioned.
Authorities don’t have a lot data to go on. The world of the crime scene has spotty or no cellphone service, complicating the investigation, Springer mentioned.
“Folks have requested me if there’s a risk to the neighborhood and the reply is, we don’t know. We don’t have sufficient data to know at the moment,” he mentioned.
Investigators hope somebody will come ahead with essential digital camera imagery or different particulars that may assist decide what occurred.
“It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle,” Springer mentioned. “Whenever you’re engaged on these instances, you’ll get little items right here and there and finally that creates a giant, massive image that makes some sense.”
Kjersem left his dwelling in Belgrade, Montana, final Thursday in his truck, which has a black topper and a silver aluminum ladder rack, authorities mentioned. He final contacted his household that afternoon, then he went quiet.
He had introduced a number of gear for his weekend outdoor, authorities mentioned. Kjersem’s buddy, who authorities didn’t determine, informed them he discovered his physique round 10 a.m. Saturday.
After the 911 name, investigators from a number of businesses, together with a bear skilled from the Montana Division of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, examined the location however didn’t discover any indicators of bear exercise.
Springer mentioned investigators don’t know what weapon was used, “however we do comprehend it was one thing exhausting sufficient to trigger vital injury to the cranium in addition to some flesh areas of the physique.”
Investigators are looking for data from anybody who was within the space between Thursday and Saturday.
“Anybody with path or sport cameras within the Moose Creek space, please attain ahead, even when the footage appears irrelevant,” Sheriff’s Capt. Nathan Kamerman mentioned.
“Anybody with in-car cameras touring within the Moose Creek space throughout this timeframe … anybody who noticed the sufferer’s truck,” he added. “Anybody who noticed one thing misplaced, out of the unusual within the space … please attain out to us.”
Investigators are following up on a number of leads, he mentioned.
Western Montana is bear nation. In July, a 72-year-old man fatally shot a grizzly bear that attacked him whereas he was selecting huckleberries close to Glacier Nationwide Park. The bear charged on the man, who was hospitalized with accidents.
Investigators haven’t decided Kjersem’s time of dying and haven’t made any arrests.
“Please assist us discover out who did this,” his sister informed reporters. “There may be somebody in our valley who’s able to really heinous issues.”
