Welcome to Arrest Stories. A thirty-nine-year-old Kentucky man stands accused of murdering his partner and creating a detailed checklist to cover up the crime, including plans to dispose of the body and burn evidence. Here's what may have happened.
On September ninth, Damian Poole's mother filed a missing person's report with the McCreary County Sheriff's Office, setting in motion events that would uncover a horrific scene. Three days later, officers conducting a search arrived at a residence on Farm Ridge Road in Stearns, where they found Daniel Kearney present inside the home.
What authorities discovered inside painted a disturbing picture. Poole's body was found in a back room, covered with blankets and sheets. The victim had sustained two gunshot wounds to the head, and his ankles were bound with nylon rope. Officials stated the body had been in the residence "for an extended period of time due to the amount of decomposition."
The grisly scene extended beyond the victim. Two dogs had also been shot to death and left where they fell inside the home.
Perhaps most chilling was Kearney's alleged preparation for covering up the crime. Investigators discovered what they described as a methodical to-do list. "When reading this checklist, it was apparent it was a checklist to clean up the residence, get rid of evidence, paint everything and dispose of the body," officials stated.
The handwritten notes detailed plans to "paint things in the home with an odor sealant" and included reminders about evidence disposal. Even more disturbing, "The notes even detailed burning anything left that could be burnt and spreading the ashes on the roadways, but not in Kentucky."
When questioned about Poole's whereabouts, Kearney allegedly told investigators that "Damian just got up and left saying he had to take care of something one night but never came back."
Kearney now faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence. Bond was set at one million dollars.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.