A Lewis-Palmer High School graduate was allegedly murdered in southeastern Kentucky by his partner, who authorities say made a checklist of tasks to complete to cover up the killing.

Former Monument resident Damian Poole, 36, was recently found dead inside his home near the unincorporated community of Stearns in McCreary County, according to Kentucky State Police.

Poole was reported missing by his mother a few days prior to the Sept. 11 discovery by McCreary County Sheriff’s Office deputies. State Police saw Poole had been shot multiple times and also found two dead dogs inside the home.

Kentucky resident Daniel Kearney, 39, was also found inside the home and arrested in connection to Poole’s death, according to State Police.

Poole was found in a back room bound at his ankles by nylon rope and had been covered with several blankets, NBC News reported. The news agency reported that Kearney’s arrest affidavit states Poole’s remains were decomposed and that the body had been in the home “for an extended period of time.”

Investigators discovered the checklist in a notebook that included cleaning up the residence, getting rid of evidence and disposing of the body, NBC reported.

A motive in the killing is still unclear. Neighbors told authorities that the couple would often have “very loud and heated arguments” and that they heard gunshots during an argument several weeks ago, NBC reported.

After being interviewed, Kearney was charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and second-degree cruelty to animals, State Police said in a news release.

Kearney is being held at the Knox Detention Center on a $1 million bond, jail records show. He is scheduled for an arraignment hearing Thursday.

A spokesperson for Lewis-Palmer High School confirmed that Poole graduated in 2010.

Poole and Kearney had reportedly moved from Colorado to Kentucky together, State Police told local outlet Fox 56.

Public records indicate Kearney had registered addresses in El Paso County dating back to 2004 before moving to Kentucky sometime around late 2024. The Gazette could not immediately find any public records for Poole.