By Jen Clancey STAFF WRITER
An axe, shotgun, revolver and cooler are reportedly missing from the Gallatin Canyon campsite where police are investigating the homicide of Dustin Kjersem.
On Oct. 12, Belgrade resident Kjersem, 35, was found dead in his tent near Moose Creek in the Gallatin Canyon. GCSO is following multiple leads at this time, according to an Oct. 24 press release.
The office listed items believed to have been removed from the scene of the crime: an Estwing camp axe with likely a 26” blue and silver handle; a Remington 11-87 12ga shotgun, wood stock; a Ruger Blackhawk .44mag revolver, blued 4 ⅝” barrel with wood grips; and an orange YETI brand cooler, Tundra 45.
Sheriff Dan Springer told EBS in a phone call that the office doesn’t know where the items—which belonged to Kjersem—could be. For instance, the items could be in someone’s possession or dumped somewhere.
During an Oct. 16 press conference, Captain Nathan Kamerman relayed that the cause of Kjersem’s death was multiple chop wounds. Springer explained this morning that the missing axe could have evidence of use as a murder weapon, but there is no murder weapon identified yet.
“Keep your eyes open,” Springer said as a message to the Big Sky community, encouraging the public to look out for signs of the missing items that may assist the ongoing investigation.
“Anyone with information regarding the incident or the items listed is asked to contact the GCSO Detectives Division at 406-582-2121 or by email at detectives@gallatin.mt.gov. If the information is exigent, please contact GCSO dispatch at 406-582-2100 and request to speak with a deputy,” the release stated.
