Ariel Castro kidnappings

Ariel Castro kidnappings
From left to right: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight
Location2207 Seymour Avenue, Tremont, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Coordinates41°28′21″N 81°41′53″W / 41.47250°N 81.69806°W / 41.47250; -81.69806 (2207 Seymour Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio)
DateAugust 23, 2002 – May 6, 2013
Attack type
Kidnapping, rape,[1] aggravated murder, attempted murder, assault[2]
Victims
  • Michelle Knight
  • Amanda Berry
  • Gina DeJesus
Perpetrator
  • Ariel Castro

Between 2002 and 2004, Ariel Castro abducted Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus from the roads of Cleveland, Ohio and later held them captive in his home at 2207 Seymour Avenue in the city's Tremont neighborhood. All three women were imprisoned at Castro's home until 2013, when Berry successfully escaped with her six-year-old daughter, to whom she had given birth while captive, and contacted the police.[3][4][5][6] Police rescued Knight and DeJesus, and arrested Castro hours later.

Castro was charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape.[1][7] He pled guilty to 937 criminal counts of rape, kidnapping and aggravated murder as part of a plea bargain. He was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 1,000 years in prison without the possibility of parole.[8][9] One month into his life sentence, Castro died by suicide by hanging himself with bedsheets in his prison cell.[10]

  1. ^ a b Caniglia, John; Blackwell, Brandon (May 9, 2013). "Cleveland city prosecutors charge Ariel Castro with kidnapping, rape in case of missing women" (news article posted to Cleveland.com). The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, OH. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  2. ^ Blackwell, Brandon; Krouse, Peter; Ewinger, James; Farkas, Karen; Miller, Donna J.; Galbincea, Pat (May 12, 2013). "Prosecutor to seek aggravated murder charges against Ariel Castro, citing what he said were terminated pregnancies among captive women" (news article posted to Cleveland.com). The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, OH. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  3. ^ Sheeran, Thomas; Coyne, John (May 7, 2013). "Police Facing Questions in 3 Women's Ohio Rescue". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "Three US women missing for years rescued in Ohio". BBC. May 7, 2013. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  5. ^ Almasy, Steve; Smith, Matt (May 7, 2013). "911 call – 'I've been kidnapped!' – cops find three women missing for year". CNN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  6. ^ Sherwell, Philip (May 7, 2013). "Ohio abductions: friendship between Ariel Castro's daughter and Gina DeJesus". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. ^ Perez, Alex (May 7, 2013). "Cleveland Kidnapping Suspect Ariel Castro Hid a Dark Side, His Uncle Says". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  8. ^ Stanglin, Doug (July 26, 2013). "Ariel Castro pleads guilty in Ohio abductions". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  9. ^ Muskal, Michael (August 2013). "Ariel Castro gets life, no parole; victim says his hell awaits". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  10. ^ "Ariel Castro - Victims, Death & Children". October 26, 2021. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.