The 52-year-old faces three counts of rape and four counts of kidnapping — one each for the three young women police say they rescued from his home this week and one more for one of the women’s 6-year-old daughter he fathered.
There are allegations of bondage, rape, enslavement, forced abortions and brutality against the man who seemed a normal musician and motorcyclist.
His alleged actions against Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight are demonic.
The media has uncovered several other facts about the accused and his family that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Here are seven of them:
1. ‘Suicide note’ that blames victims
The accused penned a "suicide note" that has not been officially made public. Channel 19 in Cleveland writes that in the 2004 letter, "Castro talks about a sex addiction and needing help. It puts some blame on the victims for getting in the car with him, and it refers to family problems and a poor childhood," the TV station says in a tease.
"Castro continues, 'I don't know why I kept looking for another. I already had 2 in my possession'," reporter Scott Taylor posted on Twitter. "Ariel Castro says in the letter he has no feeling for the bad things he has done."
2. Facebook post about “a real woman”
Castro joined Facebook on Feb. 18. On May 2, just days before his alleged victims were freed, he updated his Facebook status with the phrase, "miracles really do happen, God is good :)."
The New York Times reports that Castro recently congratulated his daughter Arlene on her child's recent birth. "Wishing you a fast recovery. She gave birth to a wonderful baby boy. That makes me Gramps for the fifth time, (2 boys 1 girl 2 boys). Luv you guys," Castro allegedly posted.
Castro in April shared a Facebook status with the comment "true that" that reads "A real woman will not use their child as a weapon to hurt the father when the relationship breaks down. Do not lose site of the fact that it is the child that suffers," several news organizations have reported.
3. Victims watched television coverage of their disappearances
Castro's accusers knew their families were looking for them because the women were allowed to watched TV broadcasts of prayer vigils held in their honors, according to CNN and other news outlets.
4. Accused of brutalizing children’s mother
Castro was accused of brutalizing the mother of his children and not returning their daughter to the mother when he was supposed to, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. In court documents filed in 2005, Grimilda Figueroa accused Castro of breaking her noses and ribs, knocking out her tooth, causing her to have a blood clot on the brain and dislocating her shoulders. Her lawyer asked the court to stop Castro from threatening to kill Figueroa, the newspaper reports.
5. Daughter cut baby’s throat
Castro's then-20-year-old daughter Emily was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2008 for slashing her baby's throat, according to the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind. The then-11-month-old survived the attack.
6. Helped search for alleged victim
Castro was a friend of Gina DeJesus' father, a family friend told the Associated Press.
Castro ‘helped’ search for Gina DeJesus after she disappeared and played in a band at a fundraiser held in her honor.
7. Daughter last to see victim
Ariel Castro's daughter Arlene Castro was Gina DeJesus's best friend and the last person to see her before she vanished. Arlene was interviewed by " America's Most Wanted" about the case in 2004 for a piece on the disappearances of DeJesus and Amanda Berry. Click here to watch segment on YouTube.com.
Now 22, Arlene Castro recently told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that her father's actions were embarrassing and devastating. She tearfully apologized to her childhood friend and the other women.
Police say Castro used his daughter’s relationship to DeJesus to lure the then-14-year-old into his car.
Contact this blogger at arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com or Twitter.com/DDNSmartMouth
About the Author
