A Cleveland man on death row for killing 11 women died of natural causes at a prison hospital Monday, according to a report.
Anthony Sowell, 61, who earned the nickname “Cleveland strangler” for the murders, was convicted and convicted in 2011 of the murders. He had a terminal illness and died at Franklin Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, an official told WJW.
Relatives of Sowell’s victims were relieved to learn of his death.
“I’m glad he died,” Donnita Carmichael, daughter of victim Tonia Carmichael, told the network.
“God made it happen. I will never forgive him, ”he said.
Joann Moore, whose sister was killed by Sowell, Janice Webb, said on the way out, “We can go on because he’s dead. We don’t have to hear about him anymore.”
The remains of the 11 women were found by police at Sowell’s Cleveland home.
The first two bodies were discovered in October 2009 while police were investigating Sowell for a rape case, according to the report.
Sowell had repeatedly appealed his sentence and death sentence, alleging that he did not receive a trial and that his lawyers represented him ineffectively during the sentencing phase.
With publishing cables