Worst Neighborhood in the Country: Ariel Castro’s Neighbor Pleads Guilty to Murder, Raping Daughters

There may have been some question about whether Detroit, or parts of New Orleans, could shake their reputations as having the worst neighborhoods in the country.  Cleveland, and particularly the part of Cleveland where Ariel Castro tortured three women for a decade in his home, has taken the title and will hold it indefinitely. 

Elias Acevado with his attorney

On Monday, Elias Acevedo Sr., a man who lived on the same block as Castro, pleaded guilty to hundreds of charges, including two counts of murder and the rape of his three daughters and sister-in-law.  The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports

that Acevado will serve life in prison for the murders and other crimes.  There is no possibility of parole as the sentences stack up to 445 years, apparently to be served consecutively.

According to the Plain Dealer: Three of Acevedo's daughters, now grown, gave gut-wrenching statements about how the years of rape and abuse had damaged them. The women's aunt spoke about how Acevedo raped her 20 years ago when she was 18 years old, and 5 ½ months pregnant with his brother's child.

The woman, now in her 30’s, helped the County Cold Case unit gather information on Acevado, which began its investigation after Ariel Castro’s discovery and arrest. Acevado was confronted with the names of Christina Adkins, who he initially denied killing, until prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. Then he admitted that and another older killing, that of Pamela Pemberton in 1994.

The Plain Dealer describes the killings:

Acevedo knew both Pemberton, who was his neighbor, and Adkins, who was his cousin's girlfriend.

Acevedo told authorities that they he and Pemberton were drinking with friends and later walked to Clark Field in Tremont. When Pemberton refused to have sex with him and yelled at him, he raped and strangled her, leaving her body in a wooded area where it was later discovered by neighborhood boys.

Just 2 ½ months later, Acevedo said he ran into Adkins on West 25^th Street. The 18-year old was five months pregnant and was upset. Acevedo convinced her to walk with him to an area near a highway interchange. When she resisted having sex with him, he raped her.

When she threatened to tell her boyfriend and Acevedo's wife what happened, Acevedo told investigators he snapped and killed her, and put her body into a nearby utility vault, where it stayed for 18 years.

In the end, Acevado did ask forgiveness and wept when confronted with his crimes.  His attorney says he has mental health issues and will help the FBI with profiling other killers.  It is little, and late.  It is the worst block in America.  It is almost unimaginable that two serial killers and rapists could be that close to each other, victimizing like they did for so many years with impunity, only to be caught in such quick succession.  Perhaps the jailers will keep a closer eye on Acevado than they did Ariel Castro and not give him the tools he needs to hang himself with in prison.