Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro Won’t Go To Trial, Gets Sentenced To Life Without Parole

Having accepted a plea deal on Friday morning, suspected Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro avoids a lengthy trial and will instead serve life in prison, without parole, in addition to 1,000 years for a net count of 937 offenses. He will not face the death penalty for the aggravated murder of one of his captive’s unborn child.

Castro was accused of raping and holding three women captive in Cleveland for nearly a decade, allegedly killing one of their unborn children when he assaulted her. He had reportedly kidnapped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Georgina “Gina” DeJesus separately over a two-year period, beginning in 2002.

The women and Berry’s 6-year-old daughter were finally freed this May after one of the women escaped Castro’s home while he was temporarily away. DNA tests later confirmed that Castro is the father of Berry’s young child.

“I knew I was going to get the book thrown at me,” Castro said in court following his sentencing. He also claimed his “sexual problem” prevented him from fully realizing the severity of his crimes.

[photo via Reuters]
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