Cleveland kidnappings: Ariel Castro found dead in prison cell The former bus driver, 53, was sentenced to life in prison plus 1000 years, with no chance of parole, in August for kidnapping Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus and sexually assaulting and beating them while holding them captive in his Cleveland house for over a decade. I'm not a monster. I'm sick," he pleaded. Ohio State Police and the Department of Corrections are investigating his death. Ariel Castro during his trial (Getty Images) The Department of Corrections released a statement saying Castro, who was housed alone in protective custody and checked on every 30 minutes, was found hanging in his cell at 9.20pm. He was not on suicide watch. "Upon finding inmate Castro, prison medical staff began performing life saving measures," it said. Shortly after he was transported to OSUMC where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 pm. A thorough review of this incident is underway and more information can be provided as it becomes available pending the status of the investigation. He had been in prison for less than four months. The exterior of the house where the three kidnapped women were found alive on May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio (Getty Images) Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus disappeared separately between 2002 and 2004, when they were 14, 16 and 20 years old. They escaped on May 6, when one of the women broke part of a door and screamed to neighbours for help. Castro was arrested that evening.