Ariel Castro Dead of Suicide, Cleveland Kidnap Victims Abductor Found Hanged in Cell

Ariel Castro, who abducted Cleveland kidnap victims Michelle Knight, Georgina DeJesus and Amanda Berry, was found hanged in his prison cell on Tuesday night at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio.

Authorities tried reviving Castro but were unable to revive him so the Cleveland kidnapper and rapist was pronounced dead.

Castro hanged himself in his prison cell with a bedsheet, authorities say.

Ariel Castro, 52, was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for the kidnapping of Michelle Knight, Georgina DeJesus and Amanda Berry, who were held against their will, raped and tortured for a decade before being discovered and rescued by neighbors of Castro. Castro was also charged with murder for impregnating Knight multiple times then beating her in the stomach to terminate her pregnancies.

Castro also impregnated Amanda Berry and is the father of Berry’s 6-year-old daughter.

Ariel Castro avoided the death sentence by cooperating with authorities including giving up his home, which was demolished.