Stepfather stabbed Loveland stepson to death

• John Cainion argued with and then stabbed Cory Sullivan to death in December.

John Cainion struggled with a drug problem and his temper. While those in his church praised him for his big heart, his family said Cainion was an irrational addict whose paranoia and anger caused him to stab his stepson to death.

He went to prison for that Wednesday. Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Winkler sent Cainion, 50, of Loveland, to prison for 11 years, the maximum for his manslaughter conviction.

Cainion was originally charged with murder for stabbing Cody Sullivan to death Dec. 19 in Cainion's Loveland apartment. Prosecutors dropped the murder charge, which carried a potential life sentence, in exchange for Cainion pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Sullivan, 26, was stabbed in the back while arguing with Cainion, his mother's husband.

"Oh Lord, have mercy, Jesus. What was I supposed to do?" Cainion asked Wednesday, in a tearful statement.

Cainion was married to Sullivan's mother in what police said was a volatile relationship.

The day before the stabbing, Cainion complained to his wife and other Sullivan family members that someone stole his illegal drugs. He accused Sullivan's brother of luring him out of the apartment so the drugs could be stolen.

When Sullivan came over the next day, Cainion, who lived with his 76-year-old mother, argued loudly with him.

"He got mad and we just kept arguing and it kept getting worser," Cainion said between sobs. "I was scared. There's so many things that I could have did that I see now that could have prevented this from happening."

Sullivan was stabbed high on the back, just below his neck.

The Sullivans have had trouble with Cainion in the past. Police were called to Cainion's home 15 times in the five years before the deadly stabbing, with Cainion ultimately charged with child endangering, aggravated menacing and domestic violence. He was accused of saying he was going to kill Sullivan and two of Sullivan's relatives, including Cainion's wife. A temporary protection order required Cainion to stay away from them, but that was dropped. In 2012, Cainion was convicted of cocaine possession.

Cainion has a history of crimes in Alabama, Georgia and Florida as well as Ohio.