Convicted Kidnapper Ariel Castro Commits Suicide in Prison.

Ariel Castro, who was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years for kidnapping and raping three women, as well as murder, was found hanging in his prison cell Tuesday night.

Authorities found Castro, 52, hanging in his cell at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, about 9:20 p.m., the state's Department of Corrections said.

Prison medical staff tried to revive him but failed.

Castro was taken to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m.

Castro's brother-in-law, Juan Alicea, said that the family was notified by the warden about 1 a.m. The family is angry, Alicea said, that it learned about the death from media reports first.

Another family member, Maria Castro Montes, said she cried when she heard the news.

"I cried for several reasons. My first thoughts were if the girls knew. I am talking about the victims," said Castro Montes, Castro's cousin. "I immediately thought of them and what is going through their minds. Maybe this was for the best. I don't think they were ever going to find peace with him alive."

Castro was not a part of the general prison population, officials said.

"He was housed in protective custody which means he was in a cell by himself and rounds are required every 30 minutes at staggered intervals," JoEllen Smith of the corrections department said in a statement.

"A thorough review of this incident is underway," she added.

In handing down a sentence last month, Judge Michael Russo told the kidnapper there was no place in the world for his brand of criminal. Castro pleaded guilty to 937 counts, including murder and kidnapping, in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table.

The charges stem from his kidnapping, rape and assault of three women: Michelle Knight, abducted in 2002; Georgina DeJesus, abducted in 2004; and Amanda Berry; abducted in 2003.

Castro is the father of Berry's 6-year-old girl, DNA tests confirmed.

Either way, the guy is a coward. Hopefully those 3 young ladies will be able to find peace now knowing he took the easy way out and took his own life. Good riddance.