Ariel Castro Dead! Ohio Man Who Held 3 Women Captive In His Home Commits Suicide In Prison

Ariel Castro, the man convicted of kidnapping and imprisoning three Cleveland women over the course of a decade, was found dead Tuesday night.

The 53-year-old was found hanged in his prison cell, where he was alone, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction confirmed in an email.

Castro was in protective custody, but was found dead at 9:20 p.m. ET in the cell, where checks are required every 30 minutes, prison medical staff said.

After lifesaving measures were attempted, Castro was transported to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m.

JoEllen Smith with the state corrections agency said:

"A thorough review of this incident is underway and more information can be provided as it becomes available pending the status of the investigation."

Ariel Castro jailed for 1000 years and Blames Victims: ‘I Am Not A Monster, I’m Just Sick’

Ohio kidnapper Ariel Castro said he is "not a monster" after one of his victims confronted him during his sentencing hearing to describe her "11 years in hell". Castro said he knows what he did was wrong, but that he is not a violent person and that his captives asked for sex and were not tortured.

"These people are trying to paint me as a monster. I'm not a monster. I'm sick," he said during his sentencing hearing on Thursday.

Castro also claimed the women lived a happy life with him.

"We had a lot of harmony that went on in that home," he said.

The former school bus driver, who pleaded guilty to 937 charges, including kidnapping, rape, assault and aggravated murder, was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole plus 1,000 years.