After deliberating for 3 1/2 hours Monday, Gallatin County jurors found Daren Christopher Abbey guilty of killing of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem last year near Big Sky.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts on charges of deliberate homicide and two counts of felony evidence tampering. Evidence submitted at trial showed Abbey, 42, killed Kjersem with an ax and screwdriver at a campsite near Big Sky and removed property from the scene.

A two-hour sentencing hearing was set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 30.

The two men, both in the construction business, reportedly didn’t know one another until they met by chance at Kjersem’s campsite off Moose Creek Road and spent the evening drinking on Oct. 10, 2024. Abbey was a Basin resident and Kjersem lived in Belgrade.

Kjersem’s body was found by his girlfriend whe

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