A camper found dead in Montana was killed, but not by a bear, authorities say

More than two weeks after a Montana hiker was found murdered in his tent, authorities are asking local residents to look for a large ax and several handguns believed to have been recovered from the crime scene.

It’s the latest development in a case that has drawn public attention since mid-October, when a friend reported the death of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem in a possible bear attack. But investigators quickly recognized the case as a murder — and so far no one has been taken into custody.

“People have been asking me if there’s a threat to this community and we’ve said we don’t know,” Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said. press conference earlier this month. “We don’t have enough information at this point, but we do know that someone was there who killed someone in a very horrific way.”

in updates on social networks In a release Thursday, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office thanked the community for information and said “multiple leads are under investigation.”

Here’s what we know so far.

Kjersem was found dead from “multiple stab wounds” during the campaign

Kiersem, of Belgrade, Montana, was last seen on the afternoon of Thursday, October 10, when he went to a temporary campsite in Moose Creek to spend the weekend with a friend.

The area — just north of Big Sky — is “quite remote” but, authorities said, is usually busy with hunters and hikers. They say Kjersem set up a wall tent about 8 feet by 10 feet and filled it with essentials.

“He was well prepared for a weekend camping trip and planned to meet up with a friend on Friday afternoon,” Detectives Capt. Nathan Kamerman said at a news conference. “But he never came to that meeting.”

The friend, who has not been identified, went looking for Kjersem and found his body around 10 a.m. local time on Saturday.

This is stated in the message of the sheriff’s office initial statement that “the author indicated that the death may have been caused by a bear attack.”

But wildlife officials, including a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agent “experienced in bear attacks,” found no signs of bear activity at the scene, prompting investigators to treat the case as a homicide.

“Evidence collected during the autopsy indicates that this was a homicide,” the report said.

Kamerman said an autopsy showed Kjersem suffered “multiple stab wounds” that led to his death.

At a news conference, Springer said the murder weapon has not yet been identified, but authorities “know it was something strong enough to cause significant damage to the skull, as well as some parts of the body.”

Authorities are asking the public for information, including information about possible weapons

Last week, the sheriff’s office asked the public to be on the lookout for a number of items believed to have been taken from the crime scene: an Estwing camp ax (possibly with a 26-inch handle), a Remington shotgun, a Ruger Blackhawk revolver and an orange Yeti cooler.

They said anyone with information about the items — or the case in general — should contact their office by phone or email.

Investigators and Kjersem’s family are asking people to come forward with any information that may be helpful, no matter how small it may seem.

The sheriff said the remote location of the crime scene — with its limited cell service — and the delay between when the killing occurred and when it was reported made it especially difficult to figure out what happened.

“Think of it as a big puzzle,” Springer said. “This could be that little piece that brings it all together for us.”

They have shared a photo of Kiersem’s black 2013 Ford F-150 and are asking anyone who may have seen him or the vehicle to come forward.

They are also urging anyone who was in the Moose Creek or Gallatin Canyon area between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning to come forward with information, especially if they saw anything unusual or happened to spot game cameras or vehicles nearby.

They can do this by calling 406-582-2121 during business hours or by calling 406-582-2100 (and selecting the first option) to reach a dispatcher for after-hours advice or urgent advice.

“There is someone in our valley who is capable of truly terrible things,” Kjersema’s sister, Jillian Price, said at a news conference. “Please, if you were in Moose Creek anytime between Thursday and Saturday, please call and talk, even if you don’t think you saw anything.”

Kjersem was a beloved father and lover of nature

Price described her brother as a “hard-working, skilled tradesman” who was born in Bozeman and worked throughout the surrounding area.

“He could frame your house, he could pour your foundation, he could install your countertops,” she said. “He was a loving, helpful and adored father who in no way deserved this.”

Kjersem loved his daughter and stepson, according to his obituaryand could sit with them for hours, tinkering together.

“His house resembled an elementary classroom because he hung up everything they did,” it said. “Dustin would send pictures of their work as if his kids had just painted the Mona Lisa.”

Since childhood, he loved fishing, and in his teenage years he became fond of snowboarding. According to his obituary, people rarely addressed him by his first name — he had a number of nicknames over the years, including Duct Tape, Cupcake and Kage.

“If you’re a fish or an antelope, the world just got safer,” it says. “Cage and his best friend Mat will no longer hunt you in tandem. But for the rest of us, there will be a hole in our world, a space that will never be filled.”

Kjersem is survived by his parents, two children, three sisters, a grandfather and “many” aunts and uncles.