Ariel Castro Is Dead at 53
Ariel Castro, the convicted kidnapper and rapist who held three women captive for a decade in his Cleveland home, is dead at 53. He committed suicide in his prison cell last night in central Ohio.
- The Three Ohio Kidnapping Victims Release a Video Statement—Watch Here
- Queen Elizabeth's 'Megxit' Orders Ignored: Beloved Monarch Would Be Royally 'Disappointed' in Prince Harry's Memoir and Bombshells
- Prince Harry Is 'Desperately Searching for Some Kind of Role' 4 Years After Leaving the Royal Family
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
JoEllen Smith, a spokesperson for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said Castro was found hanging in his cell last night and could not be resuscitated. He was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead at 10:52pm last night.
OK! News: The three victims of Ariel Castro released a video statement in July—watch here!
Smith also said that Castro was in protective custody because of his case, meaning he was kept away from other prisoners and was checked every 30 minutes. The three women who were held captive by Castro for ten years escaped on May 6. They have not yet responded to news of his death.
Are you shocked by this passing? Do you think the guards should have been watching him more closely? Respond in the comments below or tweet us @OKMagazine.