A Montana man pleads not guilty and claims self-defense in the death of a man killed in a tent
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A self-described white supremacist charged with killing a man in a tent in southwestern Montana has pleaded not guilty. Daren Christopher Abbey entered his plea Tuesday and says the victim — Dustin Kjersem — tried to kill him. Investigators say there are inconsistencies in Abbey’s story. Kjersem was killed on Oct. 10 and his body was found on Oct. 12 by his girlfriend. The girlfriend initially believed he’d been mauled by a bear. DNA found on a beer can in the tent matched Abbey. Abbey acknowledges returning to the tent the day after the killing to look for a beanie he was afraid he’d left behind. Abbey is jailed with his bail set at $1.5 million.
