A man who was found dead in a tent by his friend was initially believed to have been ravaged by a bear, but police now believe he was the victim of a ‘vicious’ murder.
Dustin Kjersem, 35, reportedly had plans to meet a friend during the afternoon of October 11. However, he allegedly failed to show up for their meeting.
The day after Kjersem seemingly ghosted his companion, the unnamed pal reportedly went searching for him - only to discover the missing party dead in a makeshift campsite.
Upon finding this friend's body on October 12, the person called 911 and told emergency responders that Kjersem’s death had been caused by a bear attack, as per The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.
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CBS News however reports that an agent with the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks agency who has ‘expertise in bear attacks visited the site, situated north of Big Sky, Montana.
It’s noted by NBC News that the specialist ‘did not find any signs of bear activity at the scene’.
Instead, investigators claimed they soon found evidence of a ‘vicious attack’, which is now being investigated as a ‘brutal’ homicide, according to Sheriff Dan Springer.
Kjersem - described as a ‘caring’ brother by his sister Jillian Price - was found deceased shortly after 10am local time.
The man - who drove a black 2013 Ford F-150 - suffered ‘multiple chop wounds which lead to his death’, according to an official autopsy.
“We’re following up on leads but we have no arrest at this time,” a spokesperson of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office in Montana stated. “We’re asking the community members to help us.”
It’s understood that no suspects nor a murder weapon have been identified.
Officials also state that the remote location of Kjersem’s death may make the investigation more difficult than most homicide cases.
When asked if there was any further threat to the community, the reporting officer stated in his press conference that the team ‘didn’t know’.
"We don't have enough information to know at this time," he said.
Officials have since urged the public to be cautious, especially if they plan to go wild camping or spend time in the woods, as per the Independent.
“We do know that someone was out there who killed someone in a very heinous way, so if you're out in the woods, you need to be paying attention, you need to remain vigilant.”
"Think of the whole canyon," Captain Nathan Kamerman added.
"If you saw something weird in the canyon area, or in town with his truck, please reach out to us.”
Anyone with information is urged to call the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office at 406-582-2121 and leave a message during business hours or after hours at 406-582-2100 and select option 1 to reach a dispatcher.
Ella Scott