In the late hours of a Thursday, the small community of Pablo, Montana was disturbed by an act of violence that would end the life of a young man. On February 28, 2019, Matthew Adam Posey Darnell, a 30-year-old Caucasian male from Polson, was shot multiple times on Division Street. The Lake County 911 center received a call about the shooting at approximately 10:30 p.m. When officers from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Lake County deputies, and Montana Highway Patrol troopers arrived at the scene, they found Darnell in the street with several gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries a short time later. His body was then taken to the state crime lab in Missoula for an autopsy.
The investigation into the shooting swiftly led to a suspect. Daniel Chance Blixt, a 29-year-old from Pablo, was taken into custody and charged with deliberate homicide. The incident was reportedly rooted in a tense personal conflict.
Blixt's estranged wife and Darnell were in a romantic relationship. On the night of the shooting, Darnell had accompanied Blixt's estranged wife to Blixt's home, where she intended to give him money for their children. Aware of the friction between the two men, they parked down the road, and Darnell initially remained in the vehicle.
An argument erupted between Blixt and his estranged wife outside the residence. At some point during this confrontation, Darnell exited the car and ran towards Blixt. Blixt, who later claimed to have been threatened by Darnell on numerous prior occasions, drew a handgun and fired multiple shots when Darnell was just a few feet away. Immediately after the shooting, Blixt himself called 911 and reported that he had acted in self-defense. Following a three-day trial in August 2019, a jury deliberated for four hours before finding Daniel Chance Blixt not guilty of murder, acquitting him of the charge of deliberate homicide.
