Overview
- A Gallatin County jury found Abbey guilty of deliberate homicide and two counts of tampering with evidence after a six-day trial.
- Investigators linked him to the tent through DNA on a beer can after wildlife agents found no sign of a bear near the Moose Creek Road site.
- Prosecutors said Dustin Kjersem was struck with a block of wood and an ax and stabbed with a screwdriver, causing multiple chop wounds.
- Abbey admitted taking the victim’s guns, cooler and phones and returning to hide evidence, while maintaining a self-defense claim and declining to testify.
- He remains in custody facing up to life in prison, and his attorney said appeal options will be assessed after sentencing.