EXCLUSIVE: How Cleveland 'kidnapper' told his wife what to eat, how to wear her skirts, even ordered her into a cardboard box and eventually he 'killed her'

Ariel Castro was 'obsessive' about ordering around his first wife, Grimilda Figueroa, according to her sister Elida Caraballo
Grimilda Figueroa died last year of injuries that her family claims were caused by Castro
Mrs Caraballo said that Castro once ordered her sister,to go into a cardboard box and not get out until he said so

PUBLISHED: 17:10 EST, 9 May 2013 | UPDATED: 02:46 EST, 10 May 2013

Domineering: Ariel Castro, pictured in his latest mugshot, was 'obsessive' about ordering around his first wife to the point where he once ordered her to get into a cardboard box

The man who allegedly kept three girls captive for a decade was so controlling with his first wife that he told her what to eat, who she could be friends with and when she could leave the house.

Ariel Castro was 'obsessive' about ordering around Grimilda Figueroa to the point where he once demanded that she get into a cardboard box and only come out when he said so.

He told her to wear skirts below the knee and vowed to kill her if she ever left him - so she stayed by his side despite the abuse.

Grimilda died last year due to injuries which her family claim were caused by Ariel.

He allegedly beat her so badly that she suffered two broken noses, shattered ribs and a blood clot on the brain.

She was also left with a knocked-out tooth and two dislocated shoulders from the domestic abuse, according to a 2005 court filing.

Speaking to MailOnline, Grimilda's sister Elida Caraballo, 44, said: 'My sister would be alive today if it wasn't for him.

'If I could talk to him I wouldn't even talk to him. Words can't even explain what I feel inside.

'It's hatred, he's not even worth being called a father'.

Elida said that Ariel and her sister met because they lived across the road from each other and that a week later they were dating.

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They moved into an apartment in the family home in Cleveland, but trouble began soon after the birth of her first son Anthony.

Elida said: 'He became controlling.

Family torn apart: Grimilda's sister Elida Caraballo, pictured says her sister would be alive today if it wasn't for Ariel Castro

Family torn apart: Grimilda's sister Elida Caraballo, pictured right, says her sister, left, would be alive today if it wasn't for Ariel Castro

Ties: Elida Carballo, Grimilda's sister, is pictured right with her daughter Cristina, center and husband Frank, left in Cleveland

'That's when everything started going downhill, the day she had Anthony.

'He told her she couldn't wear short skirts and that they had to be below the knee. They were like 1920s dresses.

'He said she couldn't go anywhere. He was controlling. She never had friends.

'She would never disobey him. She was only allowed to talk to the family.'

Asked the significance of having a child, Elida said: 'I think having a child is more, you're mine. As a tie down kind of thing. You can't do this, you can't do that.

'He can control her even more. He was obsessed about control, he was always obsessive about having control.

Music man: Ariel Castro is pictured in a 1998 newspaper clipping with members of the band he was in at the time. He's in the back, third from right

'He became abusive, first he started pushing her then he hit her.'

Elida recounted one instance that was particularly harrowing.

She said: 'After she had Anthony he pushed her in a box, I don't know why. He pushed the flaps and told her: 'You stay in there until I tell you to get out.'

'When I went downstairs to tell my family he told Grimilda to get out.

'She got pregnant with (her second child of five) Angie and everything was OK but he was still controlling towards her.'

Elida said that her sister stayed with Ariel 'because he said he would kill her if she left.'

She said: 'It was for the kids. She would not leave for all those kids.

'When we used to visit her she would say she can't leave the porch or Ariel will kill her.

'She tried to leave. She feared him. If he tried to leave he would take the kids away or kill her.'

Captive Cleveland women reveal details to police

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Too bad that the late Grimelda didn't take a cast iron frying pan to Ariel's head years ago.

- The Denver Kid , Denver USA, 10/5/2013 09:01

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It would never happen to my friends or my sister as i would care - no male would abuse my friends as i would take them to my house and report to police!!! Wish that sister would know- she is also bad as castro was beating her but no one helped her!!!

- ivie2011 , Bolton, United Kingdom, 10/5/2013 09:01

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In the piece there is a sentence containing the words "she suffered two broken noses" (one wonders how many noses she has) would that not have better been "he broke her nose twice"? Sorry - Pedantic I know.

- Engel47 , Gronsveld, Netherlands, 10/5/2013 08:31

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Quote,,,,"There were not 3 victims, there were 4". You idiot if you were so good to count there are 5. Remember Berry's daughter. But there are actually probably 100's counting all the families involved.Take your babble elsewhere or learn to count properly. - jimcool , selma, United States, 10/5/2013 06:35 Sorry, jimcool (and I won't call you an idiot), but three kidnapped girls and one child make.....FOUR! So you don't seem to be "so good to count".

- Mariana , Madrid, 10/5/2013 08:25

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sona being verbally abused is much different to being beaten half to death . slapping a crazed husband or hitting him with a shoe would make him even worse . most men are much stronger than woman . and dont stand a chance . some love them and stay with them . some dont have a choice and have to stay with them . it takes some strength to get out and run .

- Marg , Durham, 10/5/2013 08:19

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I hope he doesn't get the death penalty. He'll have a hard time in prison for the rest of his life, a better punishment!

- Me , Hastings, United Kingdom, 10/5/2013 08:17

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Quote,,,,"There were not 3 victims, there were 4". You idiot if you were so good to count there are 5. Remember Berry's daughter. But there are actually probably 100's counting all the families involved.Take your babble elsewhere or learn to count properly. - jimcool ,..................What a vile subjective rant at a woman whose comment was perfectly reasonable. Save your personal abuse for the commenters who deserve it. And learn how to reference other people's comments correctly. Ignorant bully.

- alib , Surrey, 10/5/2013 08:06

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Why weren't these houses searched for the missing girls. The police have had 10 years!

- Takenote , London, United Kingdom, 10/5/2013 07:45

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sorry for this woman but more sorry for the 5 children she produced with this violent controlling man.

- lisa33 , toronto, 10/5/2013 07:29

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I hope this filthy and sickening excuse for a person, rots in hell. Or perhaps just do away with him. These kinda sickos never get rehabilitated. Death penalty is quite a hard topic because theres so many pros and cons, but my goodness!...reading stories like this and others makes me wish it was used in certain cases. They have ALL the proof they need, its not like an innocent person would be put down.

- myname , Vancouver, BC, 10/5/2013 07:25

Click to rate Rating 42

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