$1 Million Bond for Woman Charged with Baseball Bat Death

41 year-old Darnell Lee Reevis was arrested over the weekend and charged with deliberate homicide after allegedly beating her uncle to death with an aluminum baseball bat and also for tampering with physical evidence.

Court records indicate that Reevis got into an altercation with her mother and uncle over money and the use of a vehicle at a residence north of the city in Missoula County.

Early on June 26, Reevis’ mother found her brother (the defendant’s uncle) lying on the ground with his face covered in blood with his eyes black and purple and swollen shut.

The victim was transported to Missoula’s St. Patrick Hospital, but he died en route. It is believed that he died from blunt force trauma.

At her Missoula Justice Court appearance on Monday, Deputy County Attorney Brittney Williams asked Judge Alex Beal to hold Reevis on $1 million bail.

“The State will be requesting $1 million bail,” began Williams. “This defendant attempted to assault her mother, Mary Big Sam on the night prior to the homicide. The victim, Paul Big Sam, who is also the defendant’s uncle, stepped into defend his sister and the defendant head butted the victim. Later, the defendant became angry and retrieved a metal baseball bat from the home. The defendant then became engaged in an altercation with her uncle in which she struck Paul several times with a metal baseball bat, and then left him in the yard without medical attention for four to five hours.

Paul was found by family members in the yard and 9-1-1 was contacted.

The victim passed away on the way to the hospital.

Following her involvement in the assault, she defendant attempted to wash her clothes and also attempted to hide the baseball bat.”

The public defender asked Judge Beal to set bail at a lesser amount, however, Judge Beal maintained Reevis’ bond at $1 million.

Her next court appearance is set for July 20.