Arlee woman accused of killing her uncle with baseball bat

A woman is lodged in the Missoula County Detention Center after authorities said she murdered her uncle with an aluminum baseball bat.

Darnell Lee Revis, 41, is being held on $1 million bail on a felony charge of deliberate homicide, as well as two charges for evidence tampering, in relation to the death of Paul Big Sam.

Revis made her initial court appearance Monday. Her arraignment in Missoula District Court is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, July 20.

Acc-ording to court documents filed by Missoula Deputy County Attorney Brittany Williams, Revis assaulted her uncle and mother on June 25 before being taken to the hospital. She then returned to the residence later the same day where she struck Paul Big Sam with the bat during the early morning hours of Friday, June 26.

The affidavit of probable cause indicated the incident began Thursday, June 25 when deputies from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe responded to a residence on Mary Big Sam Lane.

According to Paul Big Sam, he and his sister, Mary Big Sam, were having a barbecue when Revis asked them for money. Mary, Revis’ mother, said no and she later found Revis rummaging through her purse looking for her bank card.

Mary Big Sam grabbed her purse and secured it in her room. Revis allegedly tried to head butt Mary and pushed the barbeque over.

Paul Big Sam then stepped in and pushed Revis away from Mary. Revis then allegedly head butted Paul. The siblings said Revis was looking for money to buy drugs and she had a long history of physical abuse against Mary.

Officers didn’t arrest Revis on June 25 and she was taken to St. Patrick Hospital where she was treated for the cut on her face, allegedly caused from head butting Paul and for prevous unreleated injuries to head and shoulder.

After Revis was treated, she was released from the hospital and returned to the residence she shared with Mary on Big Sam Lane.

Then, according to charging documents, Mary found her brother Paul in the yard in the late morning hours of Friday, June 26. He was covered in blood and his eyes appeared black, purple and swollen shut. Mary called other family members to help take Paul to the hospital and then called officers from the tribal and county sheriff’s office.

Paul was taken by ambulance and died en route to St. Patrick Hospital.

Mary and her family told officers Revis assaulted Paul with a baseball bat. When officers spoke with Revis, she allegedly said she struck Paul four times with a bat, but it was done in self defense. Revis then showed the officer photos on her phone and allegedly said one photo of herself when she head butted Paul was in response to injuries she received from him on June 26.

Revis then said after she assaulted her uncle, she washed blood from his face and took a photo of him.

The time stamp on the photo indicated it was taken at 6:47 a.m. Friday, June 26. Law officers weren’t called until about 12:39 p.m. Friday.

Officers said Revis allegedly told different stories about the aluminum bat. She reported it was returned to the spot near the door where it is usually placed, before allegedly saying it was placed in a shed, then threw it into a field.

After officers got a search warrant, the blood-stained bat was found in Mary’s vehicle, covered with blankets.

Officers also spoke to Mary and she said when Revis returned home from the hospital she was very agitated and approached a truck where Paul and Mary sat in the driveway. Mary said Revis then grabbed a bat from the residence and began breaking windows in the truck.

Mary said she left the truck and went inside the home. She said Revis and Paul Big Sam argued verbally.

Later, Revis allegedly went into the home and told Mary “she should get outside and help her brother.” Revis also allegedly said something similar to “see what happens when you mess with me.”

Also, officers were told by other family members who said Revis believed she was acting in self defense due to past family member assaults at the hand of Paul, according to the criminal complaint.

But when officers spoke to Revis, she allegedly said there was one prior act of violence which happened some time ago and involved Paul attempting to push Revis from inside his vehicle.

Officers also spoke with a juvenile who was inside the home during the fight.

The juvenile said he saw Revis come inside the home after the assault and change her clothes, returning a short time later to lay down. The juvenile told officers Revis allegedly said Paul had grabbed her by the hair or neck and she responded by striking him with the bat in the head and knees.

Additionally, officers reported finding clothing in a washing machine inside the home which appeared to be freshly washed and matched the description of clothing worn by Revis. Mary told officers “that was strange, as the defendant (Revis) does not do her own laundry, never has, but I (Mary) didn’t put these clothes in the washing machine.”

When a detective spoke with Revis, she agreed to give a statement after being read her rights. Revis allegedly said Paul and Mary had been drinking all day on June 25 and then began to argue with her. She said she got upset, pushed the barbeque over and burned her fingers. Revis said she remembered getting treatment at St. Patrick Hospital, but she didn’t recall how she got there or how she got home.

Revis also allegedly said when she returned home on the morning of June 26, she found Mary and Paul in his truck and said they were “passed out.” Revis said she tried to get her mother out of the truck but Paul wouldn’t unlock it. Revis then said she retrieved the bat and used the small end of the bat to break a window and take her mother inside.

Revis allegedly said Paul became angry and he yelled at her, punched her in the face before strangling her with the bat.

Revis said her mother came outside, broke up the fight and took the bat inside. Revis also allegedly said she grabbed the bat from the grass to hit Paul before later saying she must have gotten it inside again as her mother had taken it in.

Revis then allegedly said she used the bat to strike Paul three or four times in the head and said she yelled “see that is what you get,” according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, a detective asked Revis why she didn’t call 911. Revis allegedly said she didn’t think it was that bad.

The detective told Revis it was believed Paul had lain in the grass for hours prior to receivin aid and Revis allegedly asked why Mary didn’t wake up and call 911.