Basin man charged in Gallatin murder

A man living in Basin was charged Oct. 31 in a grisly murder at a campsite near Big Sky that had consumed Gallatin County and state law enforcement officials for more than two weeks.

Daren Christopher Abbey, 41, was arrested on Oct. 26 in Butte, said Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer at a news conference yesterday. Abbey was initially charged with a probation violation and was held in Butte until the deliberate homicide and related charges were filed. A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 15.

Springer said that, on Oct. 10, Abbey traveled to a campsite in the Moose Creek area of Gallatin Canyon. He had planned to camp there, but found the site already occupied by Dustin Kjersem, a 35-year-old Belgrade resident.