(KTLA) — A man’s death that was previously reported as a bear attack is now being investigated by Montana authorities as a homicide.
On Oct. 12, the body of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem of Belgrade was discovered inside a tent in the wilderness north of Big Sky in Gallatin County. According to the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, a caller found the scene of Kjersem’s death, initially believing the man had been the victim of a bear attack.
The sheriff’s office requested assistance from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, who dispatched an agent with “expertise in bear attacks.”
That agent found no signs of bear activity in the area, officials said, which led to investigators shifting focus to the likelihood of homicide, a suspicion later confirmed by an autopsy.
Sheriff’s officials said Kjersem died as a result of multiple “chop” wounds; his killing was described as particularly “vicious.”
Dustin Kjersem, 35, of Belgrade, is shown in this undated photo. Kjersem was killed while camping near Big Sky; his death was initially reported as a bear attack. (Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office)
An experienced outdoorsman who grew up in the area, Kjersem was described by Jillian Price, his sister, as a hard-working and loving brother and adoring father.
“I ask our community to please help us find out who did this,” Price said. “There is someone in our valley that is capable of truly heinous things.”
Anyone with information, regardless of how insignificant it may seem, is urged to contact local authorities.
“Whether you saw Dustin, Dustin’s truck, noticed suspicious activity, have footage from game cameras or in-vehicle cameras from the area or observed something out of place—please come forward,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Even the smallest detail could be crucial to the investigation.”
A 2013 Ford F-150 that belonged to Dustin Kjersem is shown in this undated photo provided by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.
Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said, at this time, he is unable to say if there is a threat to the community.
“We don’t have enough information to know at this time, but we do know that someone was out there who killed someone in a very heinous way,” Springer said. “So if you’re out in the woods, I need you to be paying attention. You need to remain vigilant.”