(CNN) -- Ariel Castro, who was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years for kidnapping and raping three women, as well as murder, committed suicide in his prison cell Tuesday night, the Frankin County, Ohio, coroner's office said.
Castro hanged himself with a bedsheet, Dr. Jan Gorniak of the Franklin County Coroner's Office told CNN Wednesday.
Authorities found Castro, 52, hanged 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, told CNN 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.
Her first thoughts were with the three victims -- Michelle Knight, Georgina DeJesus and Amanda Berry -- and what they must be feeling. Would they be glad or angry about Castro's death?
The three women held captive by Castro are aware of his suicide, Knight's attorney, Kathryn Joseph, told CNN. She said the women will not be making a statement.
Castro-Montes said nearly everyone in the family had cut ties with Castro, and relatives hope that with his death, the tragic story can come to an end.
"It was just shock and part of it was even relief in hopes that now this will just end all of it and that his name will not be out in the spotlight for years and years to come," she told CNN. "I just hope the victims can move past this now."
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 told CNN in a written statement.
"A thorough review of this incident is under way," she added.
But Castro attorney Craig Weintraub said more precautions against a possible suicide should have been taken.
Castro's attorneys had requested permission for an independent forensic psychologist to evaluate their client, but were denied by officials, he said.
"I was stunned," Weintraub told CNN affiliate WKYC. "I think it's so unusual for a prisoner who is in the system for only 30 days to be found dead in a cell."
If Castro was believed to be suicidal, he should have been under stricter protection, he said.
Some will see his death as "a happy ending to this story, and a quick ending and justifiable," Weintraub said. "But we're in a civilized society and no one should really be celebrating this."
No place in the world
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 Knight, abducted in 2002; DeJesus, abducted in 2004; and Berry; abducted in 2003.
Castro is the father of Berry's 6-year-old daughter, DNA tests confirmed.
'You will die a little every day'
All three women kept diaries with Castro's permission, providing many of the details of their abuse.
"I cried every night. I was so alone. I worried what would happen to me and the other girls every day," Knight, 32, said, as sheaddressed her abductor head-on during his sentencing. "I will live on. You will die a little every day."
In each case, Castro lured the women into his car with the promise of a ride, according to court documents. The women and girl were freed in May after Berry shouted for help while Castro was away.
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