Funeral Arrangements
Visitation: Nov. 10 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Tredway-Pollitt-Staver Funeral Home, 2131 Cameron Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45212.
Service: Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial Fund
Donations can be made to the Candi Caudill Dunn Memorial Fund at any U.S. Bank.
Candi Dunn’s younger sisters described her relationship with husband, Brian Dunn, as “a bad high school relationship that spiraled into hell.” But they didn’t think he would take her life.
Christina Caudill, 30, and Melissa Blackburn, 23, of Cincinnati, said Thursday they are still in shock a day after their sister was shot and killed by her husband, who would later turn the gun on himself. The sisters said the whole situation still doesn't seem real.
“I don’t think anybody in my family knew he had a gun,” Caudill said.
Police found Candi Dunn, 32, of Anderson Twp., dead inside her car in the driveway of 7987 Barrett Road in West Chester Twp. around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Brian Dunn, 34, was found dead by police about an hour later at 811 Trustway Court in Mason. Police said he suffered “a self-inflicted gunshot would to the head.”
Caudill and Blackburn said the couple was married with three children, but in the middle of a contentious divorce.
“She was strong and weak at the same time,” Caudill said. “Somebody who’s not afraid to stand up for something she believed in, but at the same time, her love made her weak because she had hope that her marriage could work out.”
Blackburn said Candi was “a great sister; she was my role model.” Caudill echoed that sentiment also calling Candi “my protector.”
“As a child, we had rough things happen in our life and she stood up for me,” Caudill recalled as she fought back tears. “A man who wanted to do bad things to her and me when we were children — I think I was three — and she told him to do whatever he wanted to her, just leave my little sissy alone.”
Caudill said she is angry and hurt that her big sister didn’t call her before going over to Brian Dunn’s home that fateful day.
“I would have said, ‘Don’t go by yourself,’” she said.
Candi’s sisters said the Dunns were high school sweethearts. They attended Norwood High School and got married when Candi was 17 and Brian was 19. Their 15-year marriage had lots of ups and downs, the sisters said.
“They were doing either really great, and really in love or doing really bad,” said Blackburn.
The couple’s divorce trial was scheduled for Dec. 16, according to Candi Dunn’s divorce attorney, Ched Peck.
“Her marriage was a bad high school relationship that spiraled into hell,” said Caudill.
Candi’s sisters said they were thrilled that she was leaving Brian. They said he was physically and mentally abusive towards her during their marriage.
“She had a broken finger, and he banged her head into a fireplace,” said Caudill.
“He was very mentally abusive to her. He called her terrible things on a daily basis,” said Blackburn.
Candi’s sisters hope women who are in abusive relationships seek help because they don’t want other families to go through the pain and loss that they are enduring.
“Candi, I hope, is a symbol for all the bad relationships out there, that this could happen to you,” said Caudill. “You’re not safe, and if your boyfriend hits you a couple times and said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I love you,’ it could happen again.”
According to court records, Brian Dunn wrote that Candi was “mentally ill.” Blackburn said that Candi suffered from adjustment disorder.
“Our family thought she had paranoid schizophrenia,” said Blackburn. “It got to the point where she was paranoid about everything. I thought I lost my best friend.”
But Blackburn said Candi began to improve once she separated from Brian.
“She was finally becoming vibrant again and spunky and was finally living her life again,” said Blackburn. “I’m so upset it was cut short for her.”
Both sisters said they are angry but don’t hate Brian because they believe he, too, suffered from a mental illness. They said that’s the only explanation they can think of to explain Wednesday’s murder-suicide.
“How could you take the mother of your kids away from them and then take yourself so they have absolutely no one,” said Blackburn.
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