Accused of murdering his father in a camping trip, the suspect's self-defense claim was "cut off" after he backtracked on his confession.

On Tuesday, the suspect accused of murdering a Montana father and outdoor enthusiast entered a not guilty plea in court, despite confessing to the crime and claiming self-defense in his statement to police, which was confirmed by both the Gallatin County Attorney's Office and the suspect's defense team to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Daren Christopher Abbey was present in court for the "horrific" murder of 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem, who was discovered beaten to death in his tent near Big Sky, Montana, in October.

During Tuesday's hearing, Abbey tried to speak on the self-defense claim he previously made, but he was cut off by the counsel in court, his newly appointed attorneys told Planet Chronicle Digital. They did not provide further information on what Abbey tried to say during the hearing.

The Gallatin County Attorney's Office has confirmed that they will not seek the death penalty for Abbey, 41, who was charged with deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence.

According to charging documents, the suspect claimed he killed Kjersem in "self-defense" on Oct. 10 after Kjersem offered him a beer.

The documents indicate that the absence of defensive injuries on Abbey did not align with self-defense.

On Thursday, Oct. 10, Kjersem arrived in the Moose Creek area and set up camp. His girlfriend informed police that he was supposed to pick her up on Friday evening, Oct. 11, but when he didn't show up or respond to her text messages, she became concerned and searched for him with a friend on Saturday morning, Oct. 12.

At the campsite, she discovered him lifeless in the tent. Initially, it was thought that Kjersem had been killed by a bear, but later, authorities determined it was a murder.

According to documents, Kjersem's girlfriend informed law enforcement that he is not the type of person who gets into confrontations when speaking with him.

Previously, Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer characterized the homicide as a "chance encounter," stating that Kjersem invited his alleged murderer to the campsite and offered him a beer.

Abbey admitted that his dog jumped onto Kjersem's air mattress, causing muddy paw prints, and he apologized and cleaned the prints off.

According to court documents, the suspect alleged that Kjersem said he planned to shoot his dog and then kill him. Meanwhile, Abbey claimed that Kjersem attacked him, prompting him to "grapple" with him.

According to charging documents, Abbey allegedly struck the victim on the head with a firewood, stabbed the victim in the neck with a screwdriver, and hit the victim on the face with the blunt side of an axe.

According to court records, Abbey confessed to washing the axe and screwdriver in a creek and taking two cellphones belonging to Kjersem. He also admitted to wiping the phones because he was concerned about his fingerprints being on them. Additionally, he told authorities that he returned to the crime scene the day after the killing to retrieve his beanie and ensure there were no loose ends.

Springer previously stated that this behavior is typical of a guilty person who believed they could evade detection for murder.

According to court records, authorities discovered that Abbey made employees at Big Sky Resort and a nearby restaurant feel "uncomfortable" for discussing his past prison time and making "white supremacist comments" during their investigation.

Kjersem's family, including his daughter, stepson, and three older sisters, are left grieving after his passing, according to an online obituary.

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"Jillian Price, Kjersem's sister, previously stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that she would likely never be able to adequately express her gratitude for all those who worked diligently on the case. She acknowledged the efforts of numerous experts who invested significant time and determination in identifying the responsible party."

When asked about her brother, Price stated that she hopes others will remember his caring nature, even though they may not have heard his laugh.

During his arraignment hearing on Tuesday, Daren Abbey set a bond hearing for a future date, as his lawyers informed Planet Chronicle Digital.